IN the last ‘THEN WE’LL WIN / THEN WE’ll LOSE’ I said we were a lock. And while we won, even after 60 minutes of football the game wasn’t locked. It was open, wide open. Like a barn door in summer. Like my mouth watching Prater’s final kick. It looked left. Hard left. Then, like everything else that had led up to that point, defied logic and it jumped back in line. My heart was not so lucky. It is still wide left. It is still palpitating, fluttering like Tim’s pass to Fells. And I prefer it. I was so sad last week when the commentators were discussing a possible return of Orton. We were losing to the worst team in the NFL, thereby making us the worst team in the NFL, and then I was having to deal with the prospect of The Return of the Tin Man. But then, just like when I was a kid and Elway gave me heart attack after heart attack, a miracle happened.

Now I don’t care where we are in the rankings. I don’t care because I know any ranking is ignoring the obvious: No one can rank us now because no one knows. Who is Tebow? How good is he? Is he more will than skill? Does it matter? Who knows? So while things might not be locked up, that just means nothing is set in stone. It just means we don’t know. Coach Fox doesn’t know. Elway doesn’t know. Brandon Lloyd doesn’t know (good riddance to bad rubbish). I don’t even think Tebow knows. I can even picture God on the edge of His seat. The truth is no one knows. Not even Football Outsiders. And none of us can wait to find out.

Now let’s have some fun speculating:

THEN WE’LL WIN:

Any lion is caught ‘tebowing’ ironically at any point before the final whistle blows.

Julius Thomas snags 5 receptions or the tight ends as a group go for more than 6.

Mo-run-mo comes out of his shell and runs for over 70 yards OR Tyrell Sutton is signed and accomplishes this himself. (139 yards in his 25 attempts in the NFL gives him an over 5 YPC average. Sign him already and kick the tires.)

Doom plays and gets 2 sacks.

Defense creates 2 turnovers or more. (How awesome was DJ on that sack fumble strip? Best play of his career. Like a dog, he sniffed it out. And like a boss, he executed it. Thanks DJ. Made my week.)

If we are down by less than 16 with 3 minutes to go.

THEN WE’LL LOSE:

God doesn’t exist.

Mega-tron catches more than 5 touchdowns.

Stafford isn’t sacked in the first half.

Tebow gives the ball away more than once.

We lose the TDs-given up to TDs-scored battle. (This may vary depending on FGs and safeties.)

Suh says really mean things to us and it hurts. (Just kidding. I’m not a Atlanta Falcon.)

So that just about wraps it up. But before I go, one last thing. While researching the recent internet craze known as ‘Tebowing’, I came across this on Broncotalk.net. It is a quote from Tebow:

"It’s not my job to see what people’s reasons are behind it. But I know, like a kid that tweeted me with cancer and said, ‘I’m Tebowing while I’m chemo-ing.’ How cool is that? That’s worth it right there for that kid.

"If that gives him any encouragement or just puts a smile on his face or gives him encouragement to pray, then that’s really awesome and that’s completely worth it for me."

How cool is Tebow? How cool is that kid? My hearts and prayers go out to both. For their example and for their courage. And following that example I extend these same prayers and wishes to all of us, each and every one. Except Philip Rivers.

Till next time…

GO BRONCOS!!!