The only similarity between the 2011 Denver Broncos and this year’s squad is that both are playoff teams. After an 8-8 regular season last year, only the most dedicated of Tim Tebow fans actually believed Denver had a shot at making it to the Super Bowl. This season, the 11-3 Broncos have won nine straight and are heading for a first round bye. Unlike Tebow, Peyton Manning makes them a legitimate championship contender.
Most of us can agree that the Broncos are a more dangerous team with Manning under center, but nothing compares to the hype that is known as Tebowmania, right? According to Demaryius Thomas, Manning has created more buzz.
“It’s not quite the same,” Thomas explained after Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens when asked about last year’s team. “We’ve got Peyton Manning, so of course it’s different. The Peyton-Mania is a little bigger than Tebow’s.”
Tebowmania may have led to Playboy Models doing stuff like this, but Manning is a future Hall of Famer. He’s one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game and has already won a championship. Despite missing all of last season with a neck injury, Manning has thrown for over 4,000 yards and 31 touchdowns this season. He has himself right back in the MVP discussion, where he has been throughout his entire career.
The hype surrounding Tebow has more to do with the “magic” factor. The fact that a player like Tebow was able to lead Denver to the playoffs and even win a playoff game was amazing. With Manning, no one will be amazed if the Broncos mow through the AFC on their way to the Super Bowl. When you look at it that way, it’s not hard to believe Manning has created more buzz than Tebow in certain ways.
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