Tebow good when it matters most

Tim Tebow's passes aren't pretty, his stats aren't spectacular, his footwork is flawed and his mechanics are a mess.

Terrible in these metrics, he's terrific in the only measure that really counts in the NFL: he's 4-1 since supplanting Kyle Orton as Denver's starter.

The surging Broncos (5-5) are back to .500 as they seek to avoid their first consecutive losing seasons since 1971-72, and they've already won more games than they did last year when they went 4-12.

Yet, even after Tebow guided the Broncos on a game-winning 95-yard drive in the closing minutes against the New York Jets on Thursday night, his critics howled about how he can't throw the ball like a standard NFL quarterback and he'll never succeed long-term if he can't improve his accuracy.

Only Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers, however, sport a better fourth-quarter passer rating than Tebow's 107.0.

Tebow is 28 for 50 for 399 yards in the fourth quarter with five touchdowns, one interception and three comebacks in his five starts.

So, he can do more than just run the option, although he beat the New York Jets with his legs and not his arm Thursday night when he ran 20 yards for the winning TD in the final minute of Denver's 17-13 thriller.

"Sometimes he did it to us in college and he's doing it here," said Broncos defensive end and Tennessee alum Robert Ayers. "It doesn't have to be pretty; it doesn't have to be Aaron Rodgers-like, as long as we get it done, that's all that matters."

Skelton's dreadful game doesn't change QB status: Quarterback John Skelton's dreadful performance against San Francisco must make Arizona fans anxious for the return of Kevin Kolb. The trouble is, no one knows when that might happen. Kolb's right foot injury is showing slow progress, at best.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Skelton will remain the starting quarterback if Kolb is forced to miss a fourth straight game when the Cardinals play at St. Louis on Sunday.

"John didn't play his best yesterday," Whisenhunt said, "but he's got to bounce back. If he has to play this week, he's got to be ready to go."

Bears QB Cutler to have surgery on broken thumb: The Bears are confident Jay Cutler will return this season from a broken thumb on his right throwing hand, so there was a glimmer of hope to go with the big chill that just blew through Chicago.

Even so, this is a major blow for the Bears.

Cutler needs surgery and will be out "for an extended time," coach Lovie Smith said Monday. He would not say when the operation will take place, just "hopefully fairly quick," and provided few details about the specific nature of the injury.

With Cutler out, the Bears will turn to backup Caleb Hanie against Oakland this weekend and they will also look to bring in a veteran quarterback. Nathan Enderle, the former Idaho standout, is third on the depth chart.

Hanie has thrown just 14 regular-season passes in four years.

Patriots 34, Chiefs 3: At Foxborough, Mass., Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes to Rob Gronkowski and New England (7-3) shook off a sluggish start to beat Kansas City (4-6).

Julian Edelman returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown and Kyle Arrington had two interceptions, helping New England increased its AFC East lead to two games.