This idea floated by the head of Fox movies that Tim Tebow could play a role in the next "Die Hard" is absurd... yet entirely in line with everything we know about the Tebow phenomenon.
(I actually think Tebow has a natural sense of comedic timing, and even though he has the "action-hero" build and temperament, I can't see him even wanting the role.)
That said: Kudos to Fox's Tom Rothman for floating it out there. He knows that even just mentioning Tebow puts this story -- and his movie -- at the top of every talk-radio, TV talking-head and blogger discussion list.
Just one more addition to the Tebow pop-culture canon.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
It's About (Tebow) Time
If I could summarize the position of many -- starting last season but certainly culminating on Sunday and today, when Tim Tebow is expected to be named the Broncos starter a week from Sunday in Miami -- it is simply this:
Give Tebow a chance.
We saw what happened at the end of last season: Capable (even winning) play from a QB that way too many people said had no business being on the field as a rookie. (And, as a bonus, eye-popping fantasy football numbers.) Give Tebow a chance.
We saw what happened on Sunday: Kyle Orton was ineffective. The team was behind. John Fox begrudgingly inserted Tebow. Presto: A boost of crowd enthusiasm. A boost of player enthusiasm. "Vitamin T." Then the scores. Then the oh-no-WAY last-gasp sequence, where Tebow pulled off a play that maybe 3-5 other QBs in the league could -- spinning out of the defense's way for seemingly endless extra time, then a pass delivered into an open window the size of a football helmet. (BTW: Is there any doubt that on that missed 2-point conversion, Tebow could have run it in himself, rather than put him in a position to throw to Lloyd? Then all the Broncos would have needed was a game-ending field goal.) Give Tebow a chance.
There are plenty of reasons the Broncos should be starting Tim Tebow:
*In an otherwise lost season, fans will be engaged as enthusiastically as if the Broncos were a playoff contender. We saw that Sunday.
*The media -- nationally -- will give close attention to a team that is otherwise among the league's bottom-feeders. We saw that Sunday and Monday -- and every day for the next two weeks, culminating in an insane scene in Miami (for "Gator Day").
*In a point we've made here regularly: Even if John Fox HATED Tim Tebow (and he seemingly does), playing him has no downside: If the team wins, Fox gets credit; if Tebow plays terribly and the team loses out, Fox can say he gave Tebow a chance, then go draft Andrew Luck or Landry Jones or Matt Barkley.
But for all the power of Tebow as a passion point for fans or a draw for the national media or fun with fantasy football or even a backdoor way to find a different QB, the biggest reason to give Tebow a chance is this:
He can play. He makes the team better. He gives the team a different kind of chance to win. He will only get better with experience. He is a gamer.
There's such a "straw-man argument" out there in the media that Tebow fans insist Tebow will be an NFL superstar. I follow Tebow and the Tebow phenomenon as closely as anyone, and I just don't see that.
What I do see is Tebow fans -- and, now, national media coming around -- simply asking for the Broncos to give Tebow a chance.
(And by "a chance," I mean a real chance: Starting every offensive snap for the next 11 games. Even then, I'd say that he would have only begun to climb the learning curve and if he shows any progress at all, he will have earned the right to start a full season next year.)
He may flop. He may excel. He may exceed expectations. He may increase expectations, only to fall short of them. He may -- he will -- probably land somewhere in the middle, something even Tebow himself would agree with: He will make some great plays; he will show room for improvement. He will never be satisfied, even when he makes plays and wins games.
But all Tebow wants is a chance. All the fans want his for him to get that chance.
He's going to get it, and -- like the end of last season -- it's going to be fascinating and thrilling and even sometimes maddening (particularly if the coaches keep insisting on cramming Tebow into their pre-conceived notions of NFL offensive orthodoxy, rather than tweaking things to play to his unique skills).
But Tebow is going to get the chance to play. That's all he, we, you or anyone can ask for.
-- Dan
Give Tebow a chance.
We saw what happened at the end of last season: Capable (even winning) play from a QB that way too many people said had no business being on the field as a rookie. (And, as a bonus, eye-popping fantasy football numbers.) Give Tebow a chance.
We saw what happened on Sunday: Kyle Orton was ineffective. The team was behind. John Fox begrudgingly inserted Tebow. Presto: A boost of crowd enthusiasm. A boost of player enthusiasm. "Vitamin T." Then the scores. Then the oh-no-WAY last-gasp sequence, where Tebow pulled off a play that maybe 3-5 other QBs in the league could -- spinning out of the defense's way for seemingly endless extra time, then a pass delivered into an open window the size of a football helmet. (BTW: Is there any doubt that on that missed 2-point conversion, Tebow could have run it in himself, rather than put him in a position to throw to Lloyd? Then all the Broncos would have needed was a game-ending field goal.) Give Tebow a chance.
There are plenty of reasons the Broncos should be starting Tim Tebow:
*In an otherwise lost season, fans will be engaged as enthusiastically as if the Broncos were a playoff contender. We saw that Sunday.
*The media -- nationally -- will give close attention to a team that is otherwise among the league's bottom-feeders. We saw that Sunday and Monday -- and every day for the next two weeks, culminating in an insane scene in Miami (for "Gator Day").
*In a point we've made here regularly: Even if John Fox HATED Tim Tebow (and he seemingly does), playing him has no downside: If the team wins, Fox gets credit; if Tebow plays terribly and the team loses out, Fox can say he gave Tebow a chance, then go draft Andrew Luck or Landry Jones or Matt Barkley.
But for all the power of Tebow as a passion point for fans or a draw for the national media or fun with fantasy football or even a backdoor way to find a different QB, the biggest reason to give Tebow a chance is this:
He can play. He makes the team better. He gives the team a different kind of chance to win. He will only get better with experience. He is a gamer.
There's such a "straw-man argument" out there in the media that Tebow fans insist Tebow will be an NFL superstar. I follow Tebow and the Tebow phenomenon as closely as anyone, and I just don't see that.
What I do see is Tebow fans -- and, now, national media coming around -- simply asking for the Broncos to give Tebow a chance.
(And by "a chance," I mean a real chance: Starting every offensive snap for the next 11 games. Even then, I'd say that he would have only begun to climb the learning curve and if he shows any progress at all, he will have earned the right to start a full season next year.)
He may flop. He may excel. He may exceed expectations. He may increase expectations, only to fall short of them. He may -- he will -- probably land somewhere in the middle, something even Tebow himself would agree with: He will make some great plays; he will show room for improvement. He will never be satisfied, even when he makes plays and wins games.
But all Tebow wants is a chance. All the fans want his for him to get that chance.
He's going to get it, and -- like the end of last season -- it's going to be fascinating and thrilling and even sometimes maddening (particularly if the coaches keep insisting on cramming Tebow into their pre-conceived notions of NFL offensive orthodoxy, rather than tweaking things to play to his unique skills).
But Tebow is going to get the chance to play. That's all he, we, you or anyone can ask for.
-- Dan
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Broncos Finally Play Tim Tebow
"What mattered is the Broncos finally gave Tebow a chance. That’s all the fans in Denver wanted. Now that Denver coach John Fox has gone to Tebow, there is no chance that the Broncos can or will go back." -- Bill Williamson, ESPN.com
Much more coming.
Much more coming.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Tebow vs. Packers: One Measly Play
One play. One measly play. After all that talk about Fox being ready to deploy Tebow, the coach of the Broncos used Tebow once, early in the game. Even when the game was laughably out of reach, Fox refused to play Tebow. Hell, the Packers played backup QB Matt Flynn, and if you didn't know better, you'd think they were rubbing it in.
The only solace is that you look across the field at Aaron Rodgers -- a QB who is/was at the top of his game (or any QB's game, frankly) -- and you realize that he sat (and sat... and sat...) for years before he got his shot. I'm not arguing that Tebow is going to have as good of a career as Rodgers. What I'm arguing is that he deserves a shot, just like Rodgers got one.
It's so obvious he won't get that shot with John Fox in Denver. It's equally obvious that the only reason they won't trade him or release him is that they are deathly afraid that if/when Tebow does get that shot -- with someone else -- he makes the most of it.
The only solace is that you look across the field at Aaron Rodgers -- a QB who is/was at the top of his game (or any QB's game, frankly) -- and you realize that he sat (and sat... and sat...) for years before he got his shot. I'm not arguing that Tebow is going to have as good of a career as Rodgers. What I'm arguing is that he deserves a shot, just like Rodgers got one.
It's so obvious he won't get that shot with John Fox in Denver. It's equally obvious that the only reason they won't trade him or release him is that they are deathly afraid that if/when Tebow does get that shot -- with someone else -- he makes the most of it.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
"Give Tim Tebow a Chance"
"If a low-scoring, losing NFL team can't find a way to get Tim Tebow in the game, then new coach John Fox is a stubborn goat so stuck in the 1970s and so hopelessly out of touch with his fan base that one might begin to wonder why the Broncos hired him in the first place. All we're saying is: Give Tebow a chance." -- Mark Kiszla, Denver Post, 9/27/11
Monday, September 26, 2011
Why Didn't Broncos Use Tebow?
One more piece of compelling evidence that John Fox doesn't have a great idea of what he's doing:
On anything-and-short -- let alone 3rd-and-short or 4th-and-short -- it should be Tebow Time. If Kyle Orton can't handle that, maybe he's not the "pro" everyone in the "brain trust" in Denver thinks he is.
If Fox doesn't recognize "Tebow short" as potentially one of the most efficient play-calls in his (or any) playbook, the Broncos coach is even worse than we thought he was.
The Broncos lost the game because John Fox didn't use Tim Tebow -- what compounds the error is that Fox didn't even THINK to use Tebow.
And, make no mistake, it cost the Broncos the game.
On anything-and-short -- let alone 3rd-and-short or 4th-and-short -- it should be Tebow Time. If Kyle Orton can't handle that, maybe he's not the "pro" everyone in the "brain trust" in Denver thinks he is.
If Fox doesn't recognize "Tebow short" as potentially one of the most efficient play-calls in his (or any) playbook, the Broncos coach is even worse than we thought he was.
The Broncos lost the game because John Fox didn't use Tim Tebow -- what compounds the error is that Fox didn't even THINK to use Tebow.
And, make no mistake, it cost the Broncos the game.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Tim Tebow, Wide Receiver
Can't decide if I was happy that Tim Tebow got on the field yesterday in any capacity or that this was just the most recent deflating episode.
(Tebow, to his credit, seemed game to contribute however he could -- or however the coach wanted him to.)
The shame is that getting the ball in Tebow's hands as a playmaker IS a great strategy -- too bad John Fox only seems to think it's a good idea when every other receiver option is out.
As I tweeted out yesterday: Wonder which fantasy league -- ESPN.com, Yahoo, CBSSports.com, NFL.com -- will be the first to give Tebow dual-eligibility at QB and WR?
-- D.S.
(Tebow, to his credit, seemed game to contribute however he could -- or however the coach wanted him to.)
The shame is that getting the ball in Tebow's hands as a playmaker IS a great strategy -- too bad John Fox only seems to think it's a good idea when every other receiver option is out.
As I tweeted out yesterday: Wonder which fantasy league -- ESPN.com, Yahoo, CBSSports.com, NFL.com -- will be the first to give Tebow dual-eligibility at QB and WR?
-- D.S.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The "Start Tebow" Billboard Campaign
Hey: Why not?
(And, as with everything Tebow, these folks ARE going to get their money's worth -- in media coverage.)
(And, as with everything Tebow, these folks ARE going to get their money's worth -- in media coverage.)
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Broncos Lose Opener, Fans Chant for Tebow
Why were Broncos fans chanting for Tim Tebow last night in the Broncos' season opener?
Because Kyle Orton -- despite going over 300 yards passing -- was largely ineffective. He couldn't produce a touchdown for the offense until just minutes remained in the game, and his interception-and-fumble combo went a long way to costing the Broncos the game.
The whole idea from the Broncos' "brain trust" of Elway, Xanders and Fox was that Orton was "more prepared" to be the starter than Tebow. Sure didn't look like it.
If the Broncos were going to produce a limp offensive night in a loss, Tebow certainly couldn't have done worse than Orton. And, in that case, there is no reason the team shouldn't start Tebow.
Because Kyle Orton -- despite going over 300 yards passing -- was largely ineffective. He couldn't produce a touchdown for the offense until just minutes remained in the game, and his interception-and-fumble combo went a long way to costing the Broncos the game.
The whole idea from the Broncos' "brain trust" of Elway, Xanders and Fox was that Orton was "more prepared" to be the starter than Tebow. Sure didn't look like it.
If the Broncos were going to produce a limp offensive night in a loss, Tebow certainly couldn't have done worse than Orton. And, in that case, there is no reason the team shouldn't start Tebow.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Jacksonville Homecoming for Tim Tebow?
With the Jaguars cutting incumbent QB David Garrard today, a brief flurry of speculation if the team would go after trading for Tim Tebow, who they could probably get at a discount from Denver.
This is easy: They absolutely should try to trade for him for a very simple reason -- the franchise is a bit of a mess, and what we know is that Tebow's presence alone offers national media attention, cachet and, most of all, enthusiasm among the fan base (a perennial Jaguars problem).
Here's the thing: If Jack Del Rio -- like John Fox -- isn't willing to use Tebow creatively (if not as the starting QB), then it is entirely for marketing purposes. Now, that has its value, but you'd like to see Tebow's marketing value in north Florida paired with his football value.
This is easy: They absolutely should try to trade for him for a very simple reason -- the franchise is a bit of a mess, and what we know is that Tebow's presence alone offers national media attention, cachet and, most of all, enthusiasm among the fan base (a perennial Jaguars problem).
Here's the thing: If Jack Del Rio -- like John Fox -- isn't willing to use Tebow creatively (if not as the starting QB), then it is entirely for marketing purposes. Now, that has its value, but you'd like to see Tebow's marketing value in north Florida paired with his football value.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Tim Tebow's NFL Future
Really fair, well-thought-out post by Yahoo Sports' Doug Farrar about Tim Tebow's future in the NFL -- so much better than the knee-jerk half-baked "analysis."
One quote from Jon Gruden stood out: "I think you have to have a plan for those guys to utilize their physical capabilities, and I think you have to modify your offense to a degree to enhance some of the things that they can do themselves running the ball."
That's a common theme here: That to maximize Tebow's unique talents, you need a coach willing to be much more creative than the typical NFL coaching orthodoxy (typified by John Fox).
Whole post is worth a read.
One quote from Jon Gruden stood out: "I think you have to have a plan for those guys to utilize their physical capabilities, and I think you have to modify your offense to a degree to enhance some of the things that they can do themselves running the ball."
That's a common theme here: That to maximize Tebow's unique talents, you need a coach willing to be much more creative than the typical NFL coaching orthodoxy (typified by John Fox).
Whole post is worth a read.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Peter King Defends Tim Tebow
*I guess Tim Tebow was Den's 4th-best QB when he led Broncs to 24-second-half pts and 24-23 win over Houston.
*There's no 3rd QB rules anymore. If coaches can't find a role for Tebow in their offense, Den must be more explosive than 80s Niners.
*Last Tebow point: Don't get me wrong; I'm not advocating he start over Orton. I'm saying he should have a package of Wildcat/option plays.
-- Peter King on Twitter, about Tim Tebow in the wake of Michael Silver's piece about Tebow being a 4th-stringer and this morning's comments from Boomer Esiason.
Comments: Agree 100% with the first tweet. Agree 100% with the second tweet. Agree 100% with the third tweet. All things we've been saying here for a year.
*There's no 3rd QB rules anymore. If coaches can't find a role for Tebow in their offense, Den must be more explosive than 80s Niners.
*Last Tebow point: Don't get me wrong; I'm not advocating he start over Orton. I'm saying he should have a package of Wildcat/option plays.
-- Peter King on Twitter, about Tim Tebow in the wake of Michael Silver's piece about Tebow being a 4th-stringer and this morning's comments from Boomer Esiason.
Comments: Agree 100% with the first tweet. Agree 100% with the second tweet. Agree 100% with the third tweet. All things we've been saying here for a year.
"Tim Tebow Can't...": Boomer Esiason Edition
"He can't play. He can't throw. I'm not here to insult him. The reality is he was a great college football player, maybe the greatest college football player of his time. But he's not an NFL quarterback right now."
"Just because he's God-fearing, and a great person off the field, and was a winner with the team that had the best athletes in college football, doesn't mean his game is going to translate to the NFL."
"What (former Broncos coach) Josh McDaniel saw in him God only knows. Maybe God does know — because the rest of us don't."
-- "NFL Today" analyst Boomer Esiason, trying to score cheap points by trolling Tebow for an audience of sports-media reporters who know that anything they publish about Tebow will get lots of attention. (The "God" stuff is particularly cheap -- you don't have to be religious to find that type of comment to be an unnecessary attempt by Esiason to draw attention to himself. The "I'm not here to insult him, but..." was a particularly inane touch.)
Monday, August 22, 2011
Tim Tebow Not Going Anywhere
“They’re not about to trade him, they’re not about to release him.”
-- Chris Mortensen. More from ProFootballTalk here.
-- Chris Mortensen. More from ProFootballTalk here.
Tebow In Denver...Or Elsewhere
I think most Tebow fans -- and they transcend parochial interest in the Broncos (in truth, they would have rooted for Tebow wherever he was drafted) -- are interested in one thing:
That Tebow end up with an NFL coach who is secure enough and brilliant enough to deploy him in an unorthodox way that maximizes Tebow's unique skills and optimizes their own team's chances.
I'm not sure that exists in the NFL -- the late (and best-ever) Bill Walsh is long gone; the Steve Young comparison falls flat not because of Tebow, but because of NFL coaching.
If Denver isn't committed to doing that with Tebow, then it's in Tebow's best interests if the team lets him go, either through trade or release. (If the latter, I'll bet Bill Belichick finds room.)
It's funny: The Broncos had an amazing opportunity -- play Tebow full-time to give him a shot (and try to develop him).
If Tebow failed utterly, the consolation prize was being in a position to draft Andrew Luck to replace Tebow; if he did OK, they are that much further to having a long-term solution at QB.
The team's milquetoast approach is doing themselves -- not to mention Tebow or Broncos fans -- no favors.
That Tebow end up with an NFL coach who is secure enough and brilliant enough to deploy him in an unorthodox way that maximizes Tebow's unique skills and optimizes their own team's chances.
I'm not sure that exists in the NFL -- the late (and best-ever) Bill Walsh is long gone; the Steve Young comparison falls flat not because of Tebow, but because of NFL coaching.
If Denver isn't committed to doing that with Tebow, then it's in Tebow's best interests if the team lets him go, either through trade or release. (If the latter, I'll bet Bill Belichick finds room.)
It's funny: The Broncos had an amazing opportunity -- play Tebow full-time to give him a shot (and try to develop him).
If Tebow failed utterly, the consolation prize was being in a position to draft Andrew Luck to replace Tebow; if he did OK, they are that much further to having a long-term solution at QB.
The team's milquetoast approach is doing themselves -- not to mention Tebow or Broncos fans -- no favors.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Tim Tebow: Third String?
How did we get from a compelling argument for Tim Tebow starting for the Broncos... to Tebow as third-stringer behind both Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn?
It's unclear what kind of strategic or tactical value the Broncos get from giving Quinn 2nd-team snaps ahead of Tebow -- it's not like Quinn has a long-term future in Denver.
And if Kyle Orton gets injured early in the season, are the Broncos really going to play Quinn over Tebow? If the team is more likely to lose than win either way, why not play Tebow?
It is a baffling decision by John Fox and John Elway -- if they don't want Tebow (or simply don't believe in him), they might as well trade him to a team that is willing to give him a chance.
It's unclear what kind of strategic or tactical value the Broncos get from giving Quinn 2nd-team snaps ahead of Tebow -- it's not like Quinn has a long-term future in Denver.
And if Kyle Orton gets injured early in the season, are the Broncos really going to play Quinn over Tebow? If the team is more likely to lose than win either way, why not play Tebow?
It is a baffling decision by John Fox and John Elway -- if they don't want Tebow (or simply don't believe in him), they might as well trade him to a team that is willing to give him a chance.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Tebow's Development Curve Looks Good
ESPN's Chris Sprow has a must-read (via Insider) about Tim Tebow's long-term prospects, which he is very bullish about.
He draws the smart comparison to Steve Young when Young was a 25-year-old struggling to run Tampa's offense. Young, of course, became a Hall of Famer -- an all-time great QB -- when he got to the 49ers and played in a system designed by the greatest mind in pro football history, Bill Walsh. (But a transition certainly not made any easier by the presence of legend Joe Montana.)
It isn't unreasonable to argue -- in fact, it's something argued here for more than a year -- that it will take as fearless and imaginative a coaching mind as Walsh had (if that's even possible these days) for Tebow to realize his vast NFL potential. You can only hope that someday, he finds it. It might not be in Denver. In fact, if Young's model is any indicator, it won't happen in Denver.
He draws the smart comparison to Steve Young when Young was a 25-year-old struggling to run Tampa's offense. Young, of course, became a Hall of Famer -- an all-time great QB -- when he got to the 49ers and played in a system designed by the greatest mind in pro football history, Bill Walsh. (But a transition certainly not made any easier by the presence of legend Joe Montana.)
It isn't unreasonable to argue -- in fact, it's something argued here for more than a year -- that it will take as fearless and imaginative a coaching mind as Walsh had (if that's even possible these days) for Tebow to realize his vast NFL potential. You can only hope that someday, he finds it. It might not be in Denver. In fact, if Young's model is any indicator, it won't happen in Denver.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Happy Birthday, Tim Tebow
Hard to think of a 24-year-old with more impact. (Mark Zuckerberg maybe? OK: So let's limit it to sports -- hard to think of a 24-year-old athlete with more impact.)
Tim Tebow is Faith vs. Doubt
"To believe in Tebow is to see and feel and believe something others don’t. It is having faith vs. having doubt."
-- Dan LeBatard, in today's Miami Herald, with a very interesting take on Tebow. It toes the edge of making this about the "religion" issue, but then craftily flips it into a conversation about the essence of being a sports fan.
-- Dan LeBatard, in today's Miami Herald, with a very interesting take on Tebow. It toes the edge of making this about the "religion" issue, but then craftily flips it into a conversation about the essence of being a sports fan.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
"Tebow Needs to Be Tebow"
Worth a read, from the Denver Post's Mark Kiszla.
(At a bare minimum, let Tebow be Tebow by letting him have the ball inside the 5-yard-line and in short-yardage situations where his dual-threat ability gives the team a unique edge. Honestly, the strict adherence to NFL orthodoxy is the much bigger problem than anything Tebow is or isn't doing.)
(At a bare minimum, let Tebow be Tebow by letting him have the ball inside the 5-yard-line and in short-yardage situations where his dual-threat ability gives the team a unique edge. Honestly, the strict adherence to NFL orthodoxy is the much bigger problem than anything Tebow is or isn't doing.)
Friday, August 12, 2011
Using Tim Tebow Opportunistically
There has been a lot of talk today about how Tim Tebow played last night, but I want to focus on Kyle Orton for a second.
In Orton's only series of the game, he led the Broncos to 1st and goal at the Cowboys' 1-yard line. Orton proceeded to throw the Broncos out of getting a TD; it ended in a field goal.
Here is my question:
If it was a REAL game, and the Broncos had 1st and goal at the 1 -- even in the 1st quarter -- isn't the best play, the play with the most chance of success, to pull Orton and insert Tebow?
And yet we probably won't see it. Maybe it's because John Fox doesn't want to upset his starting QB's seemingly delicate sensibilities. Maybe it's because it causes a lot of trouble if Tebow does something positive.
But more likely, it is because the notion of using a full-time 2-QB system -- where one QB comes in specifically for short-yardage plays, such as goal-line or 4th-and-short (or even 2nd- or 3rd-and-short) situations elsewhere on the field is anathema to NFL strategic orthodoxy.
We've argued for more than a year that if you're not going to use Tebow as a full-time QB, then the way to get the most out of him is to use him situationally -- not as a Wildcat gimmick but as a part of a base offense that revolves around two QBs.
John Fox doesn't seem to be the kind of coach who has the wherewithal to pull that off. (On the other hand, one of the reasons so many people wanted to see Tebow end up in New England is precisely for the innovative ways Bill Belichick would have used him, even with the best QB on the planet already on his roster.)
Tebow will start soon enough -- it might take half the season, but Tebow starting is as inevitable as the Broncos not even sniffing playoff contention.
In the meantime, there are plenty of valuable ways he could help right now -- if not as the "starting" QB, then an alternate QB who comes in when the tough yards are needed.
In Orton's only series of the game, he led the Broncos to 1st and goal at the Cowboys' 1-yard line. Orton proceeded to throw the Broncos out of getting a TD; it ended in a field goal.
Here is my question:
If it was a REAL game, and the Broncos had 1st and goal at the 1 -- even in the 1st quarter -- isn't the best play, the play with the most chance of success, to pull Orton and insert Tebow?
And yet we probably won't see it. Maybe it's because John Fox doesn't want to upset his starting QB's seemingly delicate sensibilities. Maybe it's because it causes a lot of trouble if Tebow does something positive.
But more likely, it is because the notion of using a full-time 2-QB system -- where one QB comes in specifically for short-yardage plays, such as goal-line or 4th-and-short (or even 2nd- or 3rd-and-short) situations elsewhere on the field is anathema to NFL strategic orthodoxy.
We've argued for more than a year that if you're not going to use Tebow as a full-time QB, then the way to get the most out of him is to use him situationally -- not as a Wildcat gimmick but as a part of a base offense that revolves around two QBs.
John Fox doesn't seem to be the kind of coach who has the wherewithal to pull that off. (On the other hand, one of the reasons so many people wanted to see Tebow end up in New England is precisely for the innovative ways Bill Belichick would have used him, even with the best QB on the planet already on his roster.)
Tebow will start soon enough -- it might take half the season, but Tebow starting is as inevitable as the Broncos not even sniffing playoff contention.
In the meantime, there are plenty of valuable ways he could help right now -- if not as the "starting" QB, then an alternate QB who comes in when the tough yards are needed.
A Good (Non-) Start for Tim Tebow
Last night's preseason opener was a good one for Tim Tebow. The morning-after reviews are along the lines of "Hey... not bad!"
Ironically, the critics who spent the past week bashing him only ended up reducing expectations to a tepid bath -- easily cleared by relative standards.
Most fans nationally didn't watch the entire game. They will see Tebow's high completion rate. They will see that crazy scrambling play -- called back on several penalties, but no less entertaining than any play of the first NFL preseason weekend.
But how did he really play? Fine, actually. He got solid reviews from Yahoo's Doug Farrar.
The big point is that all the criticism turns this into a game of whether or not Tebow beats the (low) expectations, not whether he plays well in an absolute sense.
Expectations-wise, Tebow exceeded. That's enough to give sports pundits a week's worth of new discussion, but I'm betting Tebow is focusing on what he can do better.
(By the way, when Kyle Orton had three chances right near the goal line and couldn't secure a TD, that's where you can't believe that a head coach would be so concerned about Orton's feelings that he wouldn't replace him with "Tebow Smash" to bull the ball in. I'm not saying John Fox would need to do that in a preseason game -- but if this was the regular season? It is strategically sub-optimal to stubbornly stick with Orton at the goal line if Tebow can smash you in a TD far more efficiently.)
-- D.S.
Ironically, the critics who spent the past week bashing him only ended up reducing expectations to a tepid bath -- easily cleared by relative standards.
Most fans nationally didn't watch the entire game. They will see Tebow's high completion rate. They will see that crazy scrambling play -- called back on several penalties, but no less entertaining than any play of the first NFL preseason weekend.
But how did he really play? Fine, actually. He got solid reviews from Yahoo's Doug Farrar.
The big point is that all the criticism turns this into a game of whether or not Tebow beats the (low) expectations, not whether he plays well in an absolute sense.
Expectations-wise, Tebow exceeded. That's enough to give sports pundits a week's worth of new discussion, but I'm betting Tebow is focusing on what he can do better.
(By the way, when Kyle Orton had three chances right near the goal line and couldn't secure a TD, that's where you can't believe that a head coach would be so concerned about Orton's feelings that he wouldn't replace him with "Tebow Smash" to bull the ball in. I'm not saying John Fox would need to do that in a preseason game -- but if this was the regular season? It is strategically sub-optimal to stubbornly stick with Orton at the goal line if Tebow can smash you in a TD far more efficiently.)
-- D.S.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
ESPN's Rick Reilly Sacks Tim Tebow
"He'll be a wonderful cheerleader."
That's the kicker of Rick Reilly's column that buries Tim Tebow.
More from the column:
*"It's over. Orton won by the kind of margin Kim Jong Il wins elections. If it had been a pee wee basketball game, they'd have turned the scoreboard off."
*"The Heisman Trophy winner looks stiff under center. Most quarterbacks go snap-step-step-step-throw. Tebow goes snap-step-step-step-think-ponder-think-some-more-finally-decide-throw-three-feet-behind-the-receiver."
*[Starting Orton] "It's the only choice Denver could make. The entire locker room wants Orton. In the NFL, you have to start the guy the players think they can win behind. They see. They watch film. They know what's working. 'If they picked Tebow now," said a source within the team, "the coaching staff would totally lose the players.'"
*"This lockout crushed Tebow. He's such a hard worker that he would've been at Bronco headquarters every day in the offseason, learning coverages, working on his three-step drop, soaking up every word new coach John Fox uttered. But instead, he reported to camp in fantastic shape physically but still flabby technically."
*Reilly offers one concession: "If I were playing in a streetball game where the losing team has to move permanently to a time-share in Kabul, I'd take Tebow every time."
Yeesh. But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?
That's the kicker of Rick Reilly's column that buries Tim Tebow.
More from the column:
*"It's over. Orton won by the kind of margin Kim Jong Il wins elections. If it had been a pee wee basketball game, they'd have turned the scoreboard off."
*"The Heisman Trophy winner looks stiff under center. Most quarterbacks go snap-step-step-step-throw. Tebow goes snap-step-step-step-think-ponder-think-some-more-finally-decide-throw-three-feet-behind-the-receiver."
*[Starting Orton] "It's the only choice Denver could make. The entire locker room wants Orton. In the NFL, you have to start the guy the players think they can win behind. They see. They watch film. They know what's working. 'If they picked Tebow now," said a source within the team, "the coaching staff would totally lose the players.'"
*"This lockout crushed Tebow. He's such a hard worker that he would've been at Bronco headquarters every day in the offseason, learning coverages, working on his three-step drop, soaking up every word new coach John Fox uttered. But instead, he reported to camp in fantastic shape physically but still flabby technically."
*Reilly offers one concession: "If I were playing in a streetball game where the losing team has to move permanently to a time-share in Kabul, I'd take Tebow every time."
Yeesh. But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?
Monday, August 8, 2011
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