After living through the last year of Tebowmania, Tim Tebow says he’s the same guy he’s always been.

Keep in mind the 24-year-old Broncos QB made that claim during an interview Thursday on the “Super Bowl Live” set at Super Bowl XLVI, which was surrounded by fans four rows deep, who happened to be chanting his name.

Uh, yeah. Sure, Tim. We’re skeptical.

“It’s had a few ups and downs and some pretty cool moments,” Tebow said. “But, for the most part, I don’t believe I’ve changed. Hopefully I’m still the same guy. Just be very genuine, treat everybody still the same. I’ve been blessed to do some cool things in my life. I’m very thankful for that. Hopefully that ride can continue.”

In the last year of his life, Tebow has reached the iconic status Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton probably had in mind. Tebow has transcended sport, making him a world-wide figure recognized by everyone. Consider, for a moment, the  act of “Tebowing” inspired by his end zone celebration has reached the Seven Wonders of the World.

Or, if that’s not proof enough, he’s been courted by Katy Perry’s parents and given a cold shoulder to Kim Kardashian.

Tebow finally relented that fame has had an impact, admitting that walking down the street, “sometimes it can be a little more difficult.”

How often does he really walk down the street?

“Not often,” Tebow said.

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With the season coming to a close, the crew at “Playbook” has taken to the film to find players who made marked improvements on the field.

We’ve looked at quarterbacks and defensive backs. In our third installment, we take to the trenches to review the performance of three rising defensive tackles.

Geno Atkins, Bengals

Atkins has always been a one-gap player, using his explosive first step and great leverage to blow past blockers on passing downs. But in 2010, the Bengals seemed wary about keeping Atkins (6-foot-1, 290 pounds) on the field on running downs, turning him into more of a third-down specialist.

This year, the Bengals unleashed Atkins on just over 70 percent of their defensive snaps (compared to 35 percent in ’10), trusting his ability to overcome offensive linemen at the point of attack with his technique. While Atkins doesn’t have the girth to naturally “eat up” double teams, he has shown he can anchor on one knee, occupy the “scoop” blockers and keep that double team off of his linebackers.

Atkins’ strength will always be his lateral quickness and his hands, which allow him to elude guards before they can latch on. The Bengals smartly play him with a bigger tackle (Domata Peko or Jonathan Fanene) as well, giving him more one-on-one situations.

Atkins’ improvements as a run defender have allowed him to stay on the field more — which has equaled more sacks (7.5 in 2011, compared to three in 2010).

Kyle Love, Patriots

An second-year player who was undrafted out of Mississippi State, Love was asked to rotate as an end and nose tackle with Vince Wilfork. When offensive lines faced the Patriots’ 3-4 alignment, they saw a pair of big, athletic players who could hold two gaps.

Love and Wilfork played well off of one another. When offenses tried to double-team Wilfork,  Love made them pay with his ability to win at the point of attack and disengage from blockers with his hands. In 2011, Love finished with 33 tackles (20 solo) and three sacks.

But for the most part, you will not see what Love does on a stat sheet. As the locals would say, he’s a “dirt dog,” a blue-collar player who does his job and won’t get much thanks for it. He’s disciplined, plays within the system and has made the defensive line the strength of the Patriots defense.

Isaac Sopoaga, 49ers

Patrick Willis and Navorro Bowman were able to terrorize the NFL this year largely because of Sopoaga. Becoming the 49ers’ primary nose tackle after Aubrayo Franklin left through free agency, Sopoaga showed an ability to consistently anchor against double teams and keep his linebackers clean.

Part of the NFL’s No. 1 run defense (77.3 yards per game), he was tremendously disciplined while facing a variety of schemes. Against traps and wham-blocks, he had the wherewithal to hold his ground and properly take on the blocker while squeezing the hole. Sopoaga demonstrated athleticism and great footwork for a 330-pound man, able to move laterally against zone runs, get penetration and shuck blockers to make a play.

Regardless of the scheme, Sopoaga displayed a keen sense of awareness and positioned himself accordingly. He attacks the correct shoulders and has the feet and hands to move a blocker and use them as an obstacle for the running back.

“Playbook” — the ultimate football Xs and Os show – airs Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Check the NFL Network broadcast schedule for further details. Follow “Playbook” on Twitter @NFLN_Playbook.

With the season coming to a close, the crew at “Playbook” has taken to the film to find players who made marked improvements on the field.

After taking a glance at quarterbacks last week, here’s a look at three defensive backs who caught our eye.

Patrick Peterson, Cardinals

Peterson is a rookie who improved so much throughout the year that we had to include him on our list. At the beginning of the season, Peterson shined as a returner, but struggled as a corner — playing a lot of soft and zone-like coverage.  As the season progressed, the Cardinals began playing more man-to-man defense, and Peterson showed how he can lock up a receiver.

In Week 13 against Dallas, Peterson was frequently matched up against Dez Bryant in man coverage. Bryant was targeted 11 times but caught just five balls for 53 yards. The Cowboys receiver had trouble creating any separation on vertical routes and Peterson had three passes defended.  Displaying continual improvement, Peterson was later asked to match up man-to-man with A.J. Green for the majority of the Cardinals’ Week 16 loss to Cincinnati.  Green managed just two receptions for 25 yards.

Carlos Rogers, 49ers

Rogers went from being a disappointment in Washington to a Pro-Bowler in San Francisco. The 49ers played a lot of man-to-man coverage in 2011, showcasing Rogers’ athleticism and allowing him to focus on a single task: shutting down the man across from him. The former first-round pick was put in a position to succeed and ran with the opportunity.

The 49ers’ ability to rush the passer also aided Rogers’ progression and allowed him to be aggressive in press coverage. With Aldon Smith and Justin Smith providing nightmarish matchups up front, opposing quarterbacks were under constant pressure. When they would inevitably force throws and make mistakes, Rogers was there to capitalize, collecting a career-high six interceptions after having eight in his last seven seasons combined.

Lardarius Webb, Ravens

Webb stepped into a starting role for Baltimore in 2011 and shined. His emergence catapulted the much-maligned Ravens’ secondary from 21^st in passing yards in 2010 to fourth in 2011. The Ravens also held opposing quarterbacks to the lowest passer rating in football (68.8). Webb’s eight interceptions and 25 passes defended in 17 games (including the postseason) were a major key to Baltimore’s resurgence against the pass.

The Ravens also rely heavily on man-to-man coverage and generating pressure on the quarterback. Webb displayed great instincts breaking on routes, but in zone coverage, he excelled at playing behind his pressure. Webb showed a rare talent at reading routes based off of the quarterbacks’ drop. The additions of Bernard Pollard and Jimmy Smith were also critical to the Ravens’ improvement, but Webb is becoming one of the NFL’s better defensive backs.

“Playbook” — the ultimate football Xs and Os show – airs Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Check the NFL Network broadcast schedule for further details. Follow “Playbook” on Twitter @NFLN_Playbook.

When Donovan McNabb isn’t pondering his own football future, he’s endorsing Tom Brady as the best quarterback. Ever.

“I’m going put him as the best of all-time,” McNabb told NFL Network on Wednesday. “I say that because, obviously, the Super Bow wins. Two, if you compare Joe Montana and Tom Brady and the athletes that (they’ve) played with on the outside, as well as the tight end position and the run game, (Brady) stands out because he had less talent. Three, Tom has just been consistent all the way through.”

It’s difficult to make a case against Brady, who has the records, the wins, and the Super Bowls. He’ll join John Elway as the only QBs to start five Super Bowls, and with a win would tie Montana (4-0) and Terry Bradshaw (4-0) as the only QBs with four wins.

“When it comes to being elite, it’s about winning Super Bowls,” McNabb argued.

The lack of a clear-cut winner makes the conversation even more compelling. But at least McNabb doesn’t harbor any ill will toward Brady, whom he lost to in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Donovan McNabb says his future is bright. Part of that future could include a return to the NFL next season.

McNabb, who was released by the Vikings midway through his 13th season, didn’t sound like a player who has completely walked away during an interview with “Super Bowl Live” on Wednesday.

The phone hasn’t rang for McNabb, but he believes he has something left to offer in the right situation.

“I see three teams in the NFL, right now, that I feel like I can add a little bit of flavor to it from what they have,” McNabb said. “I won’t mention those teams. But, if the phone rings, there will be a lot of decisions to make on that.”

Maybe those calls will come for McNabb, who listed his leadership, experience, work ethic and ability “to bring the team together” as what he could offer a new team.

The three teams McNabb has in mind, though, are anyone’s guess. Only a handful of teams — the Dolphins, Browns, Redskins, Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks — haven’t committed to a starter next season. But that quarterback landscape can, and will, change.

With a budding career as a TV analyst as his backup plan, McNabb said he’s “absolutely” OK with his career as it stands.

“A lot of people take a lot of things from the game,” he said. “They take away a Super Bowl ring, they take away an opportunity to play with Hall of Fame players. When I walk away from the game, I take a little bit of everything.”

CBS analyst Phil Simms isn’t a big believer in the “legacy” conversations for NFL coaches and players.

But when pressed on the issue, Simms told NFL Network on Wednesday the legacies of Giants coach Tom Coughlin and QB Eli Manning will land them in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — if they win Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday.

“I think it’s even bigger for Tom Coughlin,” Simms said. “The public doesn’t perceive him as a great coach. Tom doesn’t give great soundbytes. He’s just real. There’s nothing phony about him, so he can’t play that game that we all play a little bit with the press.”

Indeed, Coughlin is who he is. There’s not much of an act. And Simms knows Coughlin as well as anyone, as the two go back to 1988, when Coughlin was the wide receivers coach for the Giants.

Does the perception match the reality for Coughlin, who coaches in the NFL’s biggest market, where the calls for his job came often during the season?

Coughlin is 142-114 (.555) in his career, including 74-54 (.578) with the Giants. The Giants have made the playoffs in five of his eight seasons, and Coughlin (7-3) is one win shy of Bill Parcells for most playoff wins in franchise history.

Coughlin also led the expansion Jaguars to the playoffs in four of his eight seasons in Jacksonville, and is 11-7 (.611) overall in the postseason.

Coughlin could become the 13th NFL coach to win multiple Super Bowls joining, among others, Parcells (2-1).

“If they win Sunday, they’re warming up to him fast in New York,” Simms added.”Everybody in football knows about him and appreciates him, but it’s taken the fans a lot longer.”

Colts owner Jim Irsay is facing some harsh realities when it comes to the future of QB Peyton Manning. Those realities, however, are filled with the uncertainty of the quarterback’s recovery, a situation Irsay has spent much of the last several weeks doing his best to explain.

Irsay joined Rich Eisen on NFL Network’s “Super Bowl Live” on Wednesday, reiterating that the entry point for any conversation involving Manning’s future is the health of the four-time NFL MVP. For weeks, Irsay has said the first decision on Manning is a medical decision.

On that front — as much as Manning says his recovery process is on schedule – Irsay says there is still a great deal of unknown.

“There’s so much uncertainty in this thing,” Irsay said. “The thing that gets overlooked in situations like this, is that there’s never been an NFL quarterback that has had this type of injury. It’s never happened before. When our doctors talk to other doctors, even throughout the world, the reference points just aren’t there. This will be a case study, if it ever happens again, because it’s so rare that you have this situation.

“You try to work through the uncertainty, but that’s been the tough part about this.”

Manning told reporters Tuesday that he intended to sit down with Irsay, who told NFL Network the two would talk after the Super Bowl and even into early March.

That, of course, begs the question of how Irsay will approach another reality in the decision — the $28 million bonus due to Manning on March 8.

“This isn’t about the money,” Irsay said. “If it helps us win, I’ll pay it in a second. But when it comes to salary cap … we have real cap problems. You can’t make a decision that straps you for the next three seasons.

“If we make a decision based on just affection, and we have cap problems for three years, the fans will call me an idiot.”

Irsay then referenced the term “football decision,” noting that Manning understands the circumstances. Based on what’s known, and not known, Irsay was asked if it all adds up to an amicable divorce with Manning.

“People assume that the people know what they’re going to do and just aren’t telling us,” Irsay said. “Often times, you don’t know, and take as much time to be thoughtful and make the decision at the last possible moment you can. It’s not true that any decision has been made. I wouldn’t say it’s a certainty that it will go one way or another.”

It all leaves Irsay to sum it up like this: “No one knows what is going to happen.”

Long-time quarterback Peyton Manning isn’t the only player whose future the Indianapolis Colts have to decide on. Receiver Reggie Wayne is set to become a free agent after 11 seasons with the team.

Wayne told NFL Network he hopes to stay with the Colts but understands the realities of the business.

“I don’t see myself playing anywhere else,” he said, “but if it comes down to it, the ball is brown everywhere. It’s still up to me, no matter who’s throwing it to me, to catch the ball and make something happen once I have it.”

Wayne has 862 catches for 11,708 yards and 73 touchdowns since being selected by the Colts in the 2001 draft. This season was the first since 2003 in which he did not crack 1,000 yards receiving, finishing with 960 yards on 75 catches.

He said he hasn’t heard from the Colts yet about his future with the team, but knows that the leadership is dealing with “a storm” as it decides whether to cut ties with Manning. New GM Ryan Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano are also still settling in.

“My phone’s working, I do know that,” he said.

Wayne wouldn’t predict whether Manning will stay with the Colts, but did say he thinks the quarterback will play somewhere next season.

“I’m sure that he’s somewhere getting ready to prove some people wrong, that he can still play,” he said.

Antrel Rolle is no stranger to speaking his mind. He’s also no stranger to being confident. Often times for Rolle, that has created a volatile mix.

Rolle raised some eyebrows — and perhaps elbowed out some more room for himself on the Patriots’ bulletin board — when he said the Giants wouldn’t have boarded the plane to Indianapolis this week if they weren’t confident they would walk away winners.

Rolle is quick to give the Patriots respect, but just as quick to point out he’s simply saying what he truly believes.

“I’m not guaranteeing anything,” Rolle told “NFL Total Access” Tuesday. “But I did mean what I said when I said that we wouldn’t have boarded the plane if we didn’t expect to win the game.”

Rolle was asked if he’s simply saying what everyone else on the Giants is thinking.

“Without a doubt,” he responded. “And we do.”

It’s no secret the Giants are a confident bunch. It’s been a common theme throughout the team’s current seven-game winning streak.  And Rolle is plenty comfortable telling everyone as much.

“We’re a confident team,” he said. “I’m a confident player. This is what you need at this point. This is (the) Super Bowl.”

The Manning family has circled the wagons and taken a stance on injured sibling Peyton Manning, saying only that the four-time NFL MVP is doing everything he can to return to football next season.

Younger brother Eli Manning was bombarded with questions about Peyton during Media Day on Tuesday, and his most notable take was that he hopes the comeback happens with the Colts.

So Colts fans have at least one Manning brother in their corner.  It’s a topic that Eli expanded on during an interview with NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner this week that will air on Sunday’s “NFL GameDay Morning” (9 a.m. ET) leading up to Super Bowl XLVI.

Eli Manning says his brother’s impact on the Colts — which has spanned 14 years — goes far beyond football.

“He’s just been so important to this town,” Manning told NFL Network. “When he came to Indianapolis, they were not known for their football. It was truly a basketball town, and I think he’s changed that image a little bit.

“It would be hard to imagine him playing somewhere else.”

It would, although it’s not unthinkable for a long-term professional athlete to leave a city. But as Eli suggests, Peyton is synonymous with Indianapolis and his impact — socially, even economically — was big enough to alter the perception of the city.

The he said-he said between Colts owner Jim Irsay and QB Peyton Manning this week ended awkwardly with a joint statement from the duo, an effort to “dispel any misperceptions.”

Apparently, they hugged talked it out.

OK, so we’ll buy that Irsay and Manning are all good. But what the statement didn’t say was that Manning will remain with the Colts. While it remains to be seen if he ever will play again, any misperceptions that the four-time NFL MVP will do so with the Colts appear to be long gone.

Just how far?

“According to sources who were involved in the Colts’ GM search, the organization was planning to move on from Manning weeks ago, well before this public squabble between the quarterback and his owner,” NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora said Friday on “NFL Total Access.”

“So Friday’s joint statement won’t be changing a thing.”

Irsay took to Twitter on Saturday night to respond, saying, “No he hasn’t been released nor was a decision reached weeks ago.”

La Canfora reported the Colts will make a move on Manning “almost certainly” before the start of the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine.

That means Irsay only will be able to avoid the distinction of being the owner who dumped Manning for a few more weeks. It’s difficult to blame Irsay for the circumstances, though, given Manning is owed a $28 million roster bonus and the owner has acknowledged his franchise is rebuilding with a new front office, new coaching staff and the likely choice of Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the top overall draft pick.

It’s difficult to see where Manning fits in that scenario, on a team that could be without veterans Reggie Wayne, Jeff Saturday and Robert Mathis. The subtle messages from Team Manning have suggested as much.

It seems the best use of time now is to determine where Manning fits best.

With the season coming to a close, the crew at “Playbook” has taken to the film to find players who made marked improvements on the field.

In our first look back at 2011, we analyze a trio of quarterbacks.

Defensive backs | Defensive tackles | Wide receivers

Eli Manning, Giants

Eli backed up his widely dismissed preseason proclamation of “elite” status with improvements in anticipation, communication with his receivers and ball placement.

An elite quarterback can recognize coverage and anticipate open receivers. Manning’s struggles with this last season were a major factor in his league-worst 25 INTs. This year, he was able to see windows and release the ball before his receivers came open. He was able to fit throws into tighter spots and helped enable his receivers to do more after the catch. In 2011, the Giants ranked fifth in the league in RAC yards after ranking 25th in 2010.

Manning showed remarkable improvement in ball placement. Upper-echelon quarterbacks deliver passes that maximize the receiver’s chances of making the catch while minimizing the defender’s chances of making a play. Manning has consistently put his receivers in a position to succeed, whether by making back-shoulder throws, keeping the ball low to help them avoid getting hit over the middle, or holding them away from the safety on outside routes.

The addition of Victor Cruz and the improvement of Hakeem Nicks cannot be underestimated when evaluating Manning’s success. With the Giants’ reliance on option routes, communication and trust has been critical. Manning developed a rapport with Cruz and Nicks that he didn’t have last year with Mario Manningham and a less-experienced Nicks.

Alex Smith, 49ers

Jim Harbaugh took Smith under his wing, a move that produced positive results from Week 1 on. San Francisco structured the offense to maximize his abilities and Smith discovered a newfound decisiveness, helping him take a big step in 2011.

The 49ers’ passing game changed dramatically in 2011. Harbaugh did not ask Smith to step outside of his abilities; the quarterback attempted nearly seven fewer passes per game in 2011 than he did the previous season, but threw three more touchdowns and five fewer interceptions. The team took advantage of the underneath passing game and utilized Smith’s mobility with bootlegs off of play-action. Smith also made better decisions, refraining from forcing balls and knowing when to throw it away.

With Harbaugh putting him in the position to be more efficient and successful, Smith appeared more confident this year. His timing was much improved, he got the ball out of his hand faster and he completed passes into tight windows over the middle of the field — throws he wouldn’t have attempted last season. He led six game-winning drives — as many as he had in the previous five years combined — including an epic seven-play 85-yard drive to beat the Saints in the playoffs.

Matt Moore, Dolphins

In one of the biggest surprises of the year, Moore replaced injured Dolphins starter Chad Henne and helped the team win six of its last nine games. Moore struggled with Carolina in 2010, throwing just five touchdowns and 10 interceptions. This year, his connection with Brandon Marshall, his mobility in the pocket, and an ability to use the middle of the field were huge contributors to his success.

Moore was especially effective throwing to the middle of the field. He had the fourth-best passer rating (113.7) when throwing over the middle, behind Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford and Drew Brees. His ability to fit a ball into a tight window was exceptional this year.

Moore was also able to find Marshall early and often. The receiver averaged a career-high 15 yards per reception in his starts with Moore, and had five touchdowns and four 100-yard games after having just one score and one 100-yard game in his first four starts of the season with Henne.

Moore is athletic and, for the most part, moved well in and out of the pocket behind a weak offensive line. This, combined with Miami’s use of play-action and bootlegs, allowed him to extend plays and find receivers downfield.

“Playbook” — the ultimate football Xs and Os show – airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET (Patriots) and 8:30 p.m. ET (Giants) on NFL Network. Check the NFL Network broadcast schedule for further details. Follow “Playbook” on Twitter @NFLN_Playbook.

When we look back on two great conference championship games, we will often try and boil them down to one or two big plays -– a muffed punt, a dropped touchdown pass or a missed field goal.

In reality, when you look at the tape, the Patriots and Giants walked away conference champions for reasons that spanned the length of the game. And the Ravens and 49ers exited stage right for just as many reasons.

This game proved, lest we all forget, that there are three phases of a football game.

For the 49ers, they only converted 1-of-13 attempts on third down. But if you look back to their first win of the season, Week 1 versus the Seahawks, they only converted 1-of-12 first downs in a 33-17 win. In that game, however, San Francisco benefited from two return touchdowns by Ted Ginn.

Ginn wasn’t there to remedy San Fran’s struggles in the passing game this time.

The 49ers’ pass offense was underwhelming on first and second down against the Giants, completing only 44 percent and forcing San Fran into third and longs (averaging more than eight yards to go). In Alex Smith’s defense, his receivers -– outside of Vernon Davis -– weren’t able to separate.

Defensively, Justin Smith and Co. had their moments (12 quarterback hits and six sacks), but the Giants were confident enough in their protection to drop back Eli Manning 64 times. Considering the sheer volume of pass attempts, Manning actually received decent pass protection from an offensive line with its share of weaknesses.

The Giants were quick to recognize the 49ers had a significant mismatch with Smith versus left guard Kevin Boothe; this prompted center David Baas to help to his left on most snaps, leaving Chris Snee on an island with DT Ray McDonald. Running backs were also conscious to check inside first in pass protection.

And the Giants took risks at times, leaving Kareem McKenzie or David Diehl one-on-one, but they provided one or the other with a tight end to their side to chip or widen the defensive end’s rush.

While the Patriots were able to keep an elite defense on its heels with personnel groupings and an efficient running attack, we were surprised how little Baltimore game-planned to attack Julian Edelman as a defender.

On the 18 plays that Edelman was in on defense, the Ravens only attacked Edelman three times. The first occasion didn’t come until the fourth quarter with 1:44 remaining. In the end, the Ravens were 2-of-3 on targets toward Edelman for 22 yards.

For a majority of the game, Edelman was matched on Anquan Boldin, but Baltimore didn’t scheme to exploit that advantage. And in the run game, the Ravens were not efficient, either. Ray Rice gained only 67 yards on 21 carries.

The Patriots offense, on the other hand, was impressive in how it scored. All five of their scoring drives reached double figures in play-count and accumulated 23 minutes and 17 seconds combined (58 plays). Even if Tom Brady didn’t have his best game, the Patriots game-planned well enough to earn a Super Bowl bid.

“Playbook” — the ultimate football Xs and Os show – airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET (Patriots) and 8:30 p.m. ET (Giants) on NFL Network. Check the NFL Network broadcast schedule for further details. Follow “Playbook” on Twitter @NFLN_Playbook.

Listen, nobody expects Rich Eisen to successfully execute a back-shoulder fade, but the NFL Network host probably will have trouble living down his Sunday throwing performance.

Eisen and the entire “NFL GameDay Morning” crew took their shots at dropping Kurt Warner and Michael Irvin in the dunk tank as part of the program’s picks segment. Truth be told, all of the experts struggled with their mechanics, but Eisen’s two tosses had a wounded-duck quality that might best be described as anti-spirals.

Check out the video above, which includes Eisen’s epic struggles and subsequent redemption.

File this one under: For What It’s Worth …

NFL Network’s Albert Breer reported Sunday that the Giants’ charter to San Francisco was delayed two hours on Saturday due to mechanical issues.

The hold-up won’t stop the Giants from meeting the 49ers on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET with a trip to Super Bowl XLVI on the line.