"So long, Kyle. Sorry, Brady.

The Broncos might have three quarterbacks slated to be under contract for 2011, but the team appears content to move into the next era with Tim Tebow at quarterback.

After the rookie's performance in his first home start Sunday, how could the Broncos not?

"It takes a special guy to do that," veteran wide receiver Jabar Gaff-ney said after Tebow led the Broncos to a 24-23 victory over the Houston Texans, a game the Broncos trailed 17-0 at halftime. "And that's what we have."

In two starts since replacing Kyle Orton, who has been limited in practice for two weeks because of severely bruised ribs, Tebow has managed to win over his teammates and Broncos fans alike.

Interim head coach Eric Studesville said Monday that Tebow would start the season finale against San Diego this weekend — news announced by Orton last week but not confirmed by the coaching staff at the time. With three straight starts to end the season, and with at least one win on his resume, Tebow — not Orton — would have the inside track to the starting job in 2011.

It helped his cause that Tebow completed 16-of-29 passes for 308 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in his Invesco Field at Mile High debut as a starter. He also ran 10 times for 27 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown that capped his first fourth-quarter comeback.

"We all want him to be really, really good right now, because that is for all of our benefit — the better he is right now," Studesville said Monday. "But he works as hard as any person I have ever been around in this game, and the limits, I do not know what they are right now. But I know this: He is going to work as hard as he can every day and do everything he needs to fix to give himself and his team a chance to win football games.""