Esiason on D&C: Broncos can't stay with Pats

CBS Sports NFL analyst Boomer Esiason checked in with Dennis & Callahan Monday morning for his weekly conversation, one week after predicting the Steelers would eliminate the Broncos and roll into Foxboro.

"I said that I thought it was going to be a layup for the Pittsburgh Steelers," Esiason admitted, "and here we are Monday morning trying to explain how Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos won that game.

Added Esiason: "It is a fascinating story, to say the least, how one player, Tim Tebow, he has a legion of absolutely diehard fans. I can understand why. The character of the kid is unbelievable. But coming into the game, the three previous games he looked like he was in over his head. And then the Steelers basically played into the Broncos' hands."

While the Patriots routed the Broncos last month, Esiason said Sunday's Broncos team looked different.

"Yesterday's game plan for the Denver Broncos was clearly different than most of the other games that they have played," he said. "The difference in this game was that Tim and his wide receivers were hitting the balls down the field, as in past games they weren't hitting them. He completed I think 10 passes yesterday. Nine of those passes came in regulation, four of those passes came in the second half. Ten completions, 316 yards. I don't think I've ever seen a game quite like that from a quarterback.

"Give the kid a lot of credit, because he certainly has what I would consider mental stamina, meaning even at times when he throws the ball into the ground or throws it into the first row of the stands, he's able to come back and somehow put all that behind him and still make a play."

Looking at Saturday's matchup, Esiason said Tebow won't be able to keep pace with Tom Brady.

"I know that they scored a bunch of points yesterday. I just don't see how they're going to score over 30 points, because you've got to believe that the Patriots are going to score over 30 points," he said. "This is a road game for Tim, and it's a playoff game. I don't want to take anything away from him yesterday, but again, I just can't sit here and honestly tell you that he's going to score 30 points and they're going to win. I can't bring myself to say that.

"Now, I'll also say that I wouldn't put it past him that somehow that he comes up with a miracle in Gillette Stadium. But I would say that would be a 95 to 5 percent chance, I believe, that the Broncos somehow come out with a win this Saturday night."

Following are more highlights from the conversation.

On the perception of Josh McDaniels in Denver: "You would think with the way that Tim Tebow's playing, he would be the most popular guy in Denver, right? He selected him.

"I don't get it. It goes back and forth. I'm sure that Josh tried to create the [Bill] Belichick kind of aura around the Denver Broncos. And sometimes, as we found out with many coaches -- Charlie Weis being one of them, Eric Mangini being another -- that if Belichick's not there, that kind of stuff doesn't work, because you don't necessarily have the credibility that Bill has."

On if McDaniels can help the Patriots this week: "I would think that it's helpful, but he's been in St. Louis the entire year. And I would think that Bill Belichick certainly has the game plan, if you will, to beat Tim Tebow. … I would think that there's got to be something there that Josh could add to the meetings, or Bill Belichick wouldn't have hired him."

On his playoff predictions: "I would think that it's going to be Baltimore and New England. And I think it's going to be San Francisco and Green Bay. That's who I think. Maybe the only upset, or mild upset, I would think this week would be the home team in San Francisco over New Orleans."

On Monday night's college football national championship game: "I'm picking Alabama. And there's one reason why I'm taking them. No. 1, I don't believe Alabama should be in the game. I believe that it should have been Oklahoma State. I don't think that you should have rematches in college football. It never really works out. And LSU has had a tremendous season. They went into Alabama and beat them. In my estimation, they are are the clear No. 1 team. But it's hard to beat a team twice, especially a team that has revenge on its mind. And just simply for that reason and that reason only, I'm going to pick Alabama tonight."

To hear the interview, go to the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page. For more Patriots coverage, visit the team page at weei.com/patriots.