I was going to write a NFL power poll this week, mid November seemed right to start to get a grip on the playoff race, any rankings done before week 10 are worthless, just ask any Buffalo Bills fan. On my way to compiling information for this poll, the Denver Broncos beat the Jets on Thursday to even both teams' records at 5-5 and the conversation once again became Tim Tebow. I said in this space before that it was criminal to have Tebow on the bench since we knew what the Broncos were with Kyle Orton under center, the answer is awful, and they needed to find out what they had in Tebow.
What we have found is that Tebow is a sub-par NFL thrower, dynamic runner, great leader, winner, and someone who angers so-called "analysts" and former players to no end. The NFL dominates the American sports landscape and culture, this leads to a sport that is talked about too much on all forms of communication. ESPN's weekly preview show "NFL Countdown" needs to be 3 hours long like we needed two weeks of lead up coverage to the Royal Weeding, but with this constant forum, former players and analysts have made it their mission to not allow Tebow to threaten the "sanctity" of the National Football League.
When I make the mistake of listening to these so called "analysts" the one thought that keeps coming to my mind is, "Are they talking about a game or the preservation of society?" Let's be honest they are football snobs who can't imagine that someone has the gall to try to play their game without being the cardboard cut-out quarterback. In their mind football is played by extraordinary human beings and the quarterback is a big man with a big arm who can make all the throws in a controlled 7 on 7 environment. Whether that same person is a competitor, leader, or winner is of no concern to these football snobs. Out one side of their mouth they talk about how hard it is to win in the NFL and out the other side of their mouth they dismiss Tebow for winning. Why do higher draft pick quarterbacks like Sam Bradford and Blaine Gabbert get time to improve and validate their salaries and high pick when they are the exact opposite of winners? Both are big with big arms and make all the throws in shorts, but in game situations they constantly make the wrong play. I watched Gabbert and Bradford stand in the pocket this past weekend and refuse to do anything out of the ordinary as they lost games both should have won. Where is the outrage about these two along with a host of others (Sanchez, Rivers, McCoy, Kolb, Jackson)? It goes to show you that the outrage is about Tebow playing the position differently than normal, no matter the consequences.
To make Tebow's situation even more hilarious is the fact that his own coach (John Fox) and GM (John Elway) would rather see him fail. They begrudgingly started him when the team was 1-4 and looked to be in a fight for the #1 overall pick in next year's draft. The only reason he even was allowed to start is because both Fox and Elway wanted to show the fans that he wasn't a viable future option at quarterback. Fox was forced to start Tebow in Miami after Tebow nearly completed a double digit comeback in the second half in the previous week vs. San Diego. After a historic comeback vs. Miami, Tebow and the Broncos were beaten soundly at home vs. Detroit in a game Tebow played very poorly. Unlike other young quarterbacks Tebow was not given a mulligan, the game became a sure sign that he wasn't QB material. On a side-note, watching the Detroit defense mock Tebow's religious beliefs was disgusting and shows where our country is currently that not an eye was batted when Christianity was mocked, can you imagine the outrage and Roger Goodell issued apologies if a player mocked a Muslim or Jewish players beliefs? Fox has continued to cut Tebow's offensive playbook and tell the media that he is the man behind the Bronco's success because he isn't allowing Tebow to do too much, but in reality anyone who watched the Broncos beat the division leading Raiders in Oakland knows that Tebow was successful dropping back to pass 30 times. Elway, who seems to be following the Michael Jordan post career failure playbook very closely, went even so far as to say Monday on a Denver radio station that "Tim is doing everything we thought he would when we started him." Really John, if you expected him to go 4-1 as a starter with comeback wins over the Phins, Raiders, and Jets, then why did Orton start the first 5 games. The fact is that Tebow is winning despite Elway and Fox, the least those two could do is admit as much.
It is easy to point out Tebow's flaws as a pocket quarterback and he has many, but I believe he will improve since throwing the football is a learned skill and he should have as much time as every other first round qb draft pick. His biggest skill as a passer is his ability to stay away from turnovers; the Broncos have only turned the ball over 5 times in his 5 starts (with only 1 INT) whereas they turned it over 12 times in Orton's 5 games. As much as stats head want you to believe that interceptions are random, other than tipped balls and receivers falling down, valuing the ball is a valuable skill for a quarterback (can I get a second from all Chargers fans). It is also easy to see that he is dynamic runner who has an innate ability to know when and where to run and quite frankly defensive backs want no part in trying to tackle him as Octo-dad (Cromartie) and Revis (my defensive player of the year doesn't avoid contact with a QB) showed Thursday night. What is harder to see is the effect Tebow has on his Bronco teammates. His teammates to a man say how much he inspires them, and it has been pointed out by the "experts" how much better the Broncos defense has been with Tebow starting. When asked about this point Pro Bowl Broncos defenders Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins gave Tebow credit as a leader and inspirational force for their unit. Unlike in other sports, you need to be emotionally invested in playing football and it is pretty clear that Tebow leads his teammates in this regard, and I will take Bailey and Dawkins' word over any outsider on ESPN radio (the closest second to former players who are angered by Tebow's success and how it affects their arrogant view of the NFL) giving their opinion. Broncos WR Eric Decker made the same points as Bailey and Dawkins and you could see the joy in all the Broncos players when Tebow scored to beat the Jets on Thursday. That game was a great example of what leadership and clutch play looks like and that can't be determined in shorts, during a 7 on 7, or at the scouting combine.
Tebow himself summed it up best after Thursday's win over the Jets when he said that he approaches football as a game and does his best to compete and improve daily. Games are supposed to fun and it is incredibly fun watching Tebow play and it is just an added bonus that he infuriates the NFL snobs so much in the process.
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