Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (15) scrambles away from San Diego Chargers inside linebacker Donald Butler (56) in the fourth quarter during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011, in Denver. San Diego won 29-24. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

John Fox finally did it. He made the switch.

Now the question is whether the switch will stick. One might assume benching Kyle Orton for Tim Tebow at halftime in the Denver Broncos‘ 24-29 loss to the San Diego Chargers would mark the end of one QB era in Denver and the beginning of another.

Not so fast, says Fox. The Broncos want to assess the performance of each quarterback before deciding either way.

“We haven’t had a chance to watch the tape,” Fox said. “We haven’t had a chance to watch the film; we haven’t had a chance to visit as a staff, so I think at this point — we have a bye week — we do need to improve offensively, and it will all be up for discussion.”

Do you really believe a return to Kyle Orton is possible after the way the two quarterbacks played? I’m having a hard time believing Fox could come to that conclusion, especially if it’s game tape based. Look, clearly Tebow has accuracy issues. Clearly his ability to stand in the pocket and deliver the football is a heart attack-inducing affair on any given play. Yet, undeniably, Tim Tebow sparked the offense, defense, and fans with his near-comeback theatrics. In my opinion, there’s no way the Broncos revert to Orton now.

• These fourth quarter numbers punctuate the reasons it’s Tebow Time. [Max Denver]
• Tebow’s efforts resuscitated a suffocating Broncos offense. [Denver Post]
• Paige believes Tebow will retain the starting job. [Denver Post]
• That’s because Kyle Orton simply lost it. [Denver Post]
• This columnist outlines why the choice in two weeks is a simple one: start Tebow. [Yahoo! Sports]
• MJD wonders where Brady Quinn fits in all of this. [Shutdown Corner]
• The Broncos have some decisions to make at wide receiver too. [Denver Post]
• To say Willis McGahee has found a groove is an understatement. [Denver Post]
• Orton wasn’t the only player benched Sunday: Von Miller suffered the wrath of the depth chart as well. [Denver Post]
• Orlando Franklin played through tragedy, and played very well. [Max Denver]
• Several observations from Sunday’s loss. [It’s All Over Fat Man!]

Does anyone want an NFL game to be decided by a Hail Mary pass interference call with zero seconds left on the clock?

No. I don’t, you don’t, John Fox doesn’t, Roger Goodell doesn’t, and your friendly neighborhood referee doesn’t.

Knowing that, if you’re the opposition, and you know there’s no chance you get called for the flag, wouldn’t you throw an illegal shove your opponent’s way? Wouldn’t you push a wide receiver out of the back of the end zone to ensure your team gets the ‘W’? Of course you would.

Denver Broncos head coach John Fox reacts during an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers , Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011, in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)

And that’s exactly what San Diego Chargers CB Dante Hughes did. Blatantly.

With Tim Tebow scrambling to dodge Chargers pursuers for several seconds, Matthew Willis and others were working to get open in the back of the end zone. Hughes and Willis locked up, and Hughes shoved Willis out of the back of the end zone before placing himself in the direct path of Tebow’s football. The ball whistled through a number of hands before bouncing off both Hughes and then off Willis and then off the ground in heartbreaking fashion, ending the game in a Chargers victory.

“I thought I saw [WR] Matt [Willis] in the back of the end zone,” Tebow said after the game. “There were a bunch of guys around, and I tried to give him an opportunity to catch it, but we came up a little short.”

Judge for yourself. Check the pass interference shove at the 0:16 mark in the video below:

I don’t think I can recall a more blatant non-call in my days watching the NFL. Hughes’ shove was deliberate and illegal. Am I mad? Yes. Do I want that one last play on the goal line with Tim Tebow behind center? You’re damn right I do.

But I can’t fault the Chargers. I would’ve done the same thing. This is on the refs for missing the call. No one wants a game decided by a 50-yard flag, and in this situation, I’d want my Broncos to do the same thing. As the old adage goes, “It’s only cheating if you get caught.” And the chances of getting caught there, given the nature of the play with the game on the line, were minimal.

I’m just begging for a chance to repay the favor in San Diego later this year.

(H/T Mile High Report)

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (15) is hit by San Diego Chargers inside linebacker Donald Butler (56) and San Diego Chargers cornerback Antoine Cason (20) in the second quarter during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011, in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)

The San Diego Chargers watched (some would say helplessly) as Tim Tebow whittled their 13-point halftime lead down to two points. Tebow ran one touchdown in from 12 yards. He hit Knowhon Moreno in the flat for another score in the fourth quarter. He completed two 20-plus yard passes with less than a minute to play.

The second-year quarterback rose from the ashes of league criticism — and the Denver Broncos bench — to execute a near-game winning comeback effort. But he and the Broncos fell just short as Tebow’s hail mary pass bounced off a number of Chargers whites and Broncos blue jerseys with no time left, and San Diego held on to win 29-25 in Week 5 action.

Barring injury, it marks the end of the Kyle Orton era in Denver, who was wholly ineffective in a 6 for 13, 34-yard, 1-int effort in the first half. Tebow will start from here on out.

We’ll have much more soon, but for now, talk about the game, and what this all means for the Broncos’ future.

Kickoff: 2:15 p.m. MT
BT GameBlog: 2:00 p.m. MT
Television: CBS (coverage). DirecTV 713, Sirius 94.
Announcers: Marv Albert, Rich Gannon
The Line: Chargers by 4.5 (picks)

Keys to the game — Andrew Mason chimes in with his five things to watch, noting how turnovers have impacted both the Broncos and Chargers this season, and how the Broncos need to capitalize.

Inactives — Inactives are released approximately one hour before kickoff. Check BroncoTalk on Twitter for the latest.

Live Blog — We’re striving to improve our gameday coverage and welcome you to check out what we hope is our best live blog yet today! More polls, media, and reader interaction.

The Denver Broncos are 4.5-point underdogs at home against the San Diego Chargers in Week 5. Here are how the experts from ESPN, CBS, FOX, and Yahoo! pick the winner:

Mortensen Judge	Allen Golic Hoge Jaworski Schefter Schlereth Wickersham Accuscore ESPN Users Prisco Freeman Richard Brinson Fowler Beall Halpin Harmon Cole Yahoo! Users

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John Fox has been coaching in the NFL since 1986 and owns a 78-74-0 all-time record as a head coach. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

A lot of things have changed in the NFL over the past twenty years.

In 1991, linebacker Mike Croel was drafted by the Denver Bronocs, quarterback Brett Favre played for the Atlanta Falcons and John Fox was coaching the San Diego Chargers secondary.

Fox has been coaching in football since 1978 when he was a graduate assistant at San Diego State University.  After six years coaching at the collegiate level, Fox coached the secondary of the Los Angeles Express, a USFL team that did not exist very long.

Following another season of coaching college football, Fox joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1986 before joining the Chargers in 1989.  Under Fox, San Diego’s secondary notched nineteen interceptions during the 1990 season.

Fox would go on to become the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Raiders (1994-1995) and that of the New York Giants (1997-2001).  Fox helped the Giants defense reach Super Bowl XXXV and in 2003, as the head coach in Carolina, Fox’s Panthers reached Super Bowl XXXVIII,  only to lose 32-29 to the New England Patriots on a last-second field goal by Adam Vinatieri.

Not surprisingly, none of the Chargers players or main coaches from the 1991 season remain in San Diego, only the owner, Alex Spanos, has any connections with Fox.  With that said, Fox is familiar with the AFC West and the Chargers — Sunday’s game won’t be the first time he has coached against them.

Interestingly, Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton‘s center at Purdue University was Nick Hardwick, who now snaps to San Diego’s Phillip Rivers. Without a doubt, the Chargers and Broncos are certainly familiar with each other.

Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey intercepts a pass against San Diego Chargers wide receiver Malcom Floyd, left, during the first half of a NFL football game Monday, Nov. 22, 2010, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

For the first time in three weeks, perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey (hamstring) will be on the field for the Broncos on Sunday, says Champ himself.

Bailey said when Denver faces the San Diego Chargers at home, “I’m playing, period.”  Recovering from an injured hamstring, Bailey fully participated in every practice session this week.

The Broncos are eager to have Bailey back, who couldn’t have chosen a better week to return as quarterback Phillip Rivers and receiver Vincent Jackson will be coming to town this weekend.

In fourteen career games against the Chargers, Bailey has recorded 73 tackles, four interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown), one forced fumble and fourteen passes defended.

Merely keeping Jackson from having an impact on Sunday is all the Broncos will be asking of Champ this week.  That however, is no small task.

Officially listed as “probable”, Bailey is joined by running back Knowshon Moreno (hamstring), defensive tackle Marcus Thomas (groin) and safety Rahim Moore (illness) as four recovering players that are expected to play against the Chargers.

Safety Brian Dawkins (ankle), cornerback Jonathan Wilhite (illness) and tight end Daniel Fells (knee) are “questionable.”  Receivers Eddie Royal (groin) and Demaryius Thomas (finger) have been ruled out, as well as tight end Julius Thomas (ankle).

The Broncos are hopeful that all of the currently injured players will be back on the field following the team’s bye week, which comes next Sunday.

It’s great to hear Bailey will be in the secondary.  If Dawkins and Wilhite are not able to go however, the Broncos nickel package will feature rookie safety Quinton Carter and undrafted rookie cornerback Chris Harris. That doesn’t sound like a recipe for success against San Diego’s high powered offense.

Decker has scored six touchdowns this year, dating back to January when he scored in San Diego.(AP Photo/ Barry Gutierrez)

When the Denver Broncos face off against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, Denver will be looking for their 400th regular season franchise victory and their 55th franchise victory over the Chargers. Second year wide receiver Eric Decker will be looking to build on his historic year.

Decker scored the first touchdown of his career on January 2nd in the Broncos 2010 season finale against the Chargers.   His score was one of his two catches that went for 22 yards.  It wouldn’t be the last time Decker would score in 2011.

Through four games of the 2011 season, Decker has scored five all-purpose touchdowns — the most ever in Broncos history by a non-running back through the first four games of the season.

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