Broncos vs. Patriots, Tebow vs. Brady, Live Analysis Times reporters and editors will provide live coverage and analysis of Saturday night's Patriots-Broncos divisional round playoff game from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. On Friday, Dan Barry took a look at the player everyone's talking about, but before kickoff let's pause for a few moments to consider the small chance that - brace yourselves - someone else may play a role in the outcome of the game. In ancient times, say three or four months ago, before Tim Tebow created the postmodern N.F.L., a different quarterback stood astride the football world. He was tall and handsome and brave, even before he was particularly good. Rising through the game's manly hierarchy, he became one of the best players the sport had ever seen, turning back Spartans and Trojans, Vikings and Raiders. Let's call him Tom. Tom battled Lions and Tigers and Bears, even took on the elements. And won. More than once. The mighty quarterback studied at the feet of a grizzled old sage, a perpetually dour football Yoda - albeit one with a much nicer hoodie. Theirs was a secretive world, of which little was revealed to outsiders - mostly grunts and snorts, a few bland platitudes about winning and losing and hard work and what-do-you-know-about-anything-anyway. The fragments that trickled out were sometimes hard for others to decipher. But all the men did together was win. For several years, it seemed nothing could stop the young hero. It was as if they knew things about their opponents that no one else knew. But the football world continued to study Tom and his mentor, and soon grew bold enough to challenge them, and to conquer them. A Giant named Eli did it in the a meeting in the desert. Marauders dressed in purple and black. A gang in green. The now-veteran quarterback wobbled, then fought his way back. He traveled the country this year trying to re-establish his claim, staring down Cowboys and Indians and even wild horses. On Saturday night he faces a test many others have failed: a rival descended from the mountains, ready to do whatever it takes (run; pass; kick?) to win. Can he do it? Is there enough magic for two men? Or a better question might be this: Will the Patriots just stack eight men in the box to stop the run and dare Tebow to beat them over the top? Check back later for updates. Kickoff is at just after 8 p.m.