Boom, Roasted.

Final tally: 9-26, 136 yards and a fumble.

And a futile 1st and goal, where they went 4&OUT punctuated by Tebow whirling, escaping, scrambling, and then ultimately throwing the ball to nobody.

So Bronco fans, and Tebites, you have a real project on your hands now, don't you?

How can you make this jersey-selling, sick-kid-hugging, feel-good-story of a QB, into well, something VIABLE as a long-term prospect?

The fairy tale is over. The magic is gone. The hype will quickly subside.

Now what?

"Press on... " some will say. Let's tighten up the mechanics, add more wrinkles to that run-option offense, get another WR target for him to throw to, and let's see what a full season (with full OFF-season too!) of total Tebow commitment will bring us in terms of record.

I'll admit: I've seen dumber ideas. (see Grossman, Rex and Beck, John).

But I think Tebow as a starter is doomed to fail.

That's just my OPINION. And I've been as wrong as anybody as a sports fan.

I CAN have an opinion, right?

So my call would be this if I were John Elway: Back to the draft for a starter. Tell Tebow's he's a valuable piece to the Broncos puzzle, and they will find a place for him, and find ways to use him.

I'd keep Tebow as a FB/H-back/TE and I would use him in Timmy-Cat formations near the goal-line and randomly during games as a hard-to-adjust changeup.

But in a passing league, you have to be able to pass. Period.

Tebow was far down the list of the reasons the Patriots boat-raced them on Saturday night. But he IS on the list. When you have a QB who can't stretch the field vertically, who can't sustain drives with his arm, who can't deliver counter-strikes to two-TD deficits, then you are really limited.

If you love the guy for reasons that go far beyond his wobbly spiral, then good for you. Keep loving him. He is, a genuine breath of fresh air among pro athletes today. As long as ESPN and other media entities don't shove him down our throats to the point of passing out, I too can enjoy his scrappy overachieving.

But the argument isn't about "liking" him, it's about "can he play" the position at this level.

Well, you've seen his games. You tell me.