LEWISTON — At sports bars and parties, New England Patriots fans were out in force Saturday night for the big game with Denver.

“This is the most important football game in the Patriots’ schedule in three years, if you ask me,” said Bob Earle of Lisbon, sitting next to his wife, Debbie, at The Gridiron in Lewiston.

Both were wearing Patriots shirts.

“Considering they lost the last two first-round playoff games, it’s like the Super Bowl,” Bob Earle said. “They have to win.”

The Gridiron was packed Saturday night. Screens everywhere offered football.

In the national media all day Saturday it was Tebow, Tebow, Tebow. With his unusual religious flair, the Denver Broncos’ quarterback has become a household name.

More than one New England fan at The Gridiron on Saturday mocked Tebow with a familiar praying pose, right hand to the forehead, head bowed. But Patriots fans also said they respect the unconventional quarterback.

“That’s really who he is, which is why he’s so popular,” Earle said.

Debbie Earle pointed out that Denver was the underdog, and it’s always better to be the underdog. “But if Denver thinks they’re going to come to town and beat us, I don’t think it’s going to happen,” she said.

At another table, Tammy and Russ Theberge of Lewiston were waiting for the game to start. She was wearing a Patriots jersey.

“They’re going to win tonight,” Tammy said. She called Tebow “a lot of hype,” and predicted the Patriots’ offense would be successful.

Also wearing a Patriots jersey, Mike Sullivan of Durham said the game was critical. “We need to win this game.”

As for Tebow, “he’s not that great a quarterback. He’s a decent player,” Sullivan said. He saw Tebow come to the aid of an opposing player who was hurt. “He helped the guy and shook his hand. That’s kind of classy.”

Lisa Boulley of Lewiston was with her daughter, Tiana Lacombe, 18, ready for the game. She too predicted a Patriots win, and said Tebow would be shut down.

Gipper’s in Auburn was also teeming with football fans.

“We’ve got a good crowd,” said bartender Mike Peters. Gipper’s fielded a lot of phone calls during the day from people planning to watch the game with like-minded fans, Peters said.

Any Patriots game attracts a crowd, said Gipper’s General Manager Jay Novella.

But when the other team is Denver, “there’s a lot of excitement,” Novella said.

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