Love For Tebow

 

 Granted, Tim Tebow is not your prototypical NFL quarterback. But should it matter? As Skip Bayless has pointed out time and again, all he does is win--so what's the problem? He has terrible mechanics. He struggles with accuracy. Is he the only NFL quarterback who struggles with these issues?

                Now, I'll be the first to admit that the New York Jets experiment was a colossal bust, but not because of anything Tebow did. He was not brought in to play the position, something made evident by the manner in which he was treated. Tebow was brought to the Jets as a gimmick by a team on the decline, a team with no integrity and even less talent. I wonder how many people went to Jets game on the off chance they might get to see Tebow play? And this was exactly what the organization was banking on because they knew as sure as I'm sitting here that they were in for a dismal season. Let's take a look at Sanchez' line for the season: He went 246- 453 with a completion percentage of 54.3. He threw for 2883 yards with 13 TD's and 18 Int's; you mean to tell me Tebow couldn't have done better than that? I, for one, am dubious. Now let's take a look at some stats from some other young quarterbacks around the league this year--quarterbacks who don't get near the criticism Tim Tebow does.

Blaine Gabbert: with a starting record of 1-9, Gabbert attempted 278 passes and completed 162 for a percentage of 58.3. He racked up 1662 yards with 9 TD's and 6 INT's--hardly stellar.

Christian Ponder: 483 attempts and 300 completions for a percentage of 62.1. He threw for 2935 yards with 18 TD's and 12 INT's--not bad, except these numbers are deceiving; Ponder failed to record a single throwing touchdown in five games this year and while the Vikings went to the playoffs, it took Adrian Peterson falling 9 yards shy of the single season rushing record to get them there, not Ponder's prowess as a QB.

Ryan Tannehill: 7-9 on the season, the Dolphins QB attempted 484 passes and completed 282 for a percentage of 58.3. He recorded 3294 yards with 12 TD's and 13 INT's.

Brandon Weeden: 5-10 on the season, Weeden attempted 517 passes completing 297 for a percentage of 57.4. He compiled 3385 yards with 14 TD's and 17 INT's.

                Now let's take a look at Tebow's 2011 stats with the Denver Broncos (I know, but we have to as it was his only year in the league as a starter). In 11 games he posted a record of 7-4. He attempted 271 passes completing 126 of them for a percentage of 46.5. He threw for 1729 yards with 12 TD's and 6 INT's. However, he also racked up 660 yards rushing with 6 more TD's. Oh, and he bested the vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers defense in the first round of the playoffs.

                Sure Tebow's completion percentage is way below the others mentioned above, but his Touchdown to Interception ratio is way better and so is his rushing statistics. Many people give all the credit for that winning season to the Denver Broncos defense and I'm not going to try to take anything away from them, but Tebow played his part, and a significant one at that. Unless I'm mistaken, in the NFL you still have to outscore the other team to win. And Tebow found a way to get that done.

                Fine, I'm no football guru, nor do I claim to be, but I see something in Tim Tebow. The guy wants to win and seven times out of eleven he finds a way to accomplish this goal. That's good enough to get your team to the playoffs. It's good enough to get you a chance at a Superbowl. I truly believe that if Tebow is given a chance, he will improve. You have to play the game in this league to get better. No one comes off the bench and tears the league up consistently.

                Finally, why should a team give Tebow a chance? Love him or hate him, he puts butts in the seats (which is the ultimate goal of every franchise as well as the league). He is a public relations dream come true. In a league where convicted felons continue to play with minimal repercussions, drug users get a slap on the wrists, and multi-million dollar players don't finish tackles for fear of injury, a guy like Tim Tebow is a breath of fresh air. As a fan of the game, I'd rather watch a guy like Tebow, who does everything right on and off the field, fail, than watch some of these other guys succeed. But maybe that's just me.

                The only question remains is where does a guy like Tim Tebow with his skill-set fit in? To be successful Tebow needs a team with three major components: an above average running back, a good defense, and an even better offensive line. Here are some possible choices:

1. The Jacksonville Jaguars--The Jags went 2-14; they need all the help they can get. Because of their dismal season, they can spend the whole draft helping themselves on defense and the offensive line. With a running back as dynamic as Maurice Jones-Drew, pressure will be taken of Tebow opening the door for the play action pass and an effective run option offense. The explosive Cecil Shorts and bulk of Justin Blackmon at wide receiver would also be a big help. Finally, Jacksonville is a franchise in limbo with no real fan base and poor ticket sales; a guy like Tebow could change that for the better.

2. The Tennessee Titans--A record of 6-10 is a definite disappointment, but with Tebow, there would be some upside. For one thing the veteran presence of Matt Hasselbeck would be a benefit to Tebow. Chris Johnson gives Tebow the same benefits as Jones-Drew and the Titans would have less work to do with their offensive line and defense.

3. The Philadelphia Eagles--A dismal season (4-12) led to the firing of Andy Reid and showed the limitations of Michael Vick, but the Eagles already have everything in place for Tebow to be successful. They've got LeShaun McCoy and Bryce Brown, a big tight end in Brent Celek, wide receiver speed in DeShawn Jackson and a great slot receiver in Jeremy Maclin. The defense has a lot of talent, they just need some heart. The only downfall is the offensive line which needs work. Plus Philadelphia fans need something to rally behind--success would be nice.

4. The Kansas City Chiefs --Andy Reid is a quarterback guru; if he can't make Tebow better, no one can. Plus they've got Jamaal Charles in the backfield and the big receiver, Dwayne Bowe. That defense is getting better and better and so is the offensive line. With only one winning season since 2007 this year they were 2-14, Chiefs fans would appreciate a change for the better.

5. The New York Jets (6-10)--That's right, I said it. The Jets aren't a bad fit for Tebow. The offensive line is soild. The defense is good and will be better with Revis back next year. Shonn Green showed signs of life and Bilal Powell has some skill. Where the Jets are lacking is offense; they need a whole new wide receiving core, though Dustin Keller would be a great target for Tebow at tight end. Sanchez hasn't worked out and McIlroy obviously isn't the answer. The Jets fan base is livid with the team's management and probably quite a few of them would have enjoyed seeing Tebow under center; anything to get the focus off "butt fumble."

                I've got love for Tim Tebow. He's not the best quarterback in the NFL, but he's not the worst either. And if there is one thing statistics don't show (as Jalen Rose says) it's heart, and Tebow has a big one. Maybe it's time for everybody to back off Tebow and give him a chance. If he fails, then all the naysayers can feel justified, but if he succeeds (and he's done nothing else so far in his career) maybe the boy can finally get some credit for what he brings to the field. Tim Tebow might not be your prototypical quarterback but neither is Colin Kaepernick, RGIII, or Russell Wilson; how did they fare this year?