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How can Denver be in the playoffs and still be a national laughingstock? This morning, NPR opened a half-hour segment by noting that the Broncos have 120-1 odds against making the Super Bowl, with the host wryly noting that this fact probably won’t prevent some Tim Tebow fans from betting on them. But ESPN’s Mike and Mike said Tebow inspired the least confidence of any QBs playing this weekend.
Here’s a tweet encapsulating Mike and Mike’s confidence roster, in order: 
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@MikeAndMike
Mike & Mike QB Confidence picks:1-DREW BREES 2-MATTHEW STAFFORD 3-ELI MANNING 4-BEN ROETHLISBERGER 5-MATT RYAN 6-ANDY DALTON 7 – T.J. YATES 8-TIM TEBOW
Jan 05 via webFavoriteRetweetReply
Yes, you read right: T.J. Yates, who until recently was the Houston Texans’ third-string quarterback, is ranked ahead of The Chosen One.
Granted, Mike and Mike have better feelings about some aspects of the squad, including head coach John Fox.
@MikeAndMike
Mike & Mike Head Coach Confidence Picks:1 MIKE TOMLIN 2 SEAN PAYTON 3 TOM COUGHLIN 4 JOHN FOX 5 GARY KUBIAK 6 MARV LEWIS 7 MIKE SMITH 8 JIM SCHWARTZ
Jan 05 via webFavoriteRetweetReply
And the defense also lands in a middle-of-the-pack position.
@MikeAndMike
Mike & Mike Defense Confidence Picks: 1 – STEELERS 2 – BENGALS 3 – TEXANS 4 – BRONCOS 5 – GIANTS 6 – FALCONS 7 – SAINTS 8 – LIONS
Jan 05 via webFavoriteRetweetReply
But that doesn’t mean the pair give Denver much of a chance against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
@MikeAndMike
Mike & Mike Wildcard Confidence Totals: BENGALS-14 OVER TEXANS-15 SAINTS-10 OVER LIONS-18 GIANTS-11 OVER FALCONS-18 STEELERS-6 OVER BRONCOS-16
Jan 05 via webFavoriteRetweetReply
Of course, who can blame them? The past three weeks, Tebow has looked tentative and terrified — a stark contrast to the bold swashbuckler who helmed the outfit to one shocking victory after another earlier in the season. When John Elway told the Denver Post‘s Woody Paige that Timmy needs to pull the trigger, I had to read the phrase a second time to make sure he wasn’t advising those of us who’ve been sorely tempted to put a pistol to our temple to do likewise.
Then again, as Tebow would tell us, faith is hard. Now is the time for it to be tested in front of everyone, from ESPN to NPR.
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More from our Sports archive: “Tim Tebow’s 10 most motivational Bible verse recommendations & when to use them (PICS).”
