Sorry Charlie, but you’re making up conspiracy theories in your head again. ESPN devoted 14 minutes of a 60 minute Sportscenter last week to praising Tebow during the middle of the week. Tebow interview. Tebow background segment. Talking heads praising Tebow. Tebow graphic. Tebow fans. I kid you not. There’s no great anti-Tebow conspiracy.
Are there people who say Tebow isn’t very good? Yep. Does that make them Tebow “haters”? Nope. So enough with the angst and made-up drama, little man.
As for the game itself, Denver killed itself. I’ve posted a number of times before that the winning formula for Denver was no turnovers, giving the other team a long field to play with, running the ball to eat the clock, playing smart defense and then winning against a tired defense in the 4th. From the coaching staff on down, they fucked up.
- 3 fumbles lost, all in their own end. That’s 13 points right there. That’s the kiss of death for most teams and Denver was no exception.
- Stupid play calling gave NE 3 points right at the end of the half. That was a real poor job by Fox and Company.
- Dumb penalties, including a hands to the face by a DL on a 3rd and 24 for a free first down.
- Poor defensive consistency, especially against a weak NE running game. They looked off-balance for almost the entire 2nd and 3rd quarters.
- Shaky offensive performance by Tebow, though he wasn’t the reason they lost. Still, when they needed him most (while the game was in reach in the 2nd and 3rd quarters), he put the ball on the ground twice and had a couple of 3 and outs.
If Tebow gets 5-6 seconds to pass, he can find someone down the field. He can extend plays with his legs. If he gets outside the pocket, he can be dangerous as well (that 30 yard run was a beaut) because he can run or throw the little dump pass to an open RB. But I don’t think I saw him hit a timing pattern at all today and that’s a problem. He’s going to have major problems against better defenses if he can’t hit the quick slant or other timing patterns.
mdowdle
5643
As a Chiefs fan of many decades running, I’d trade even Cassels for Tebow without blinking an eye. Not Flacco though.
I think those two (especially gifting the field goal try) killed them, coming when they did (your #1 is pretty bad as well). Anytime you have the chance to not give up points by playcalling, you take it.
I would take Sam Bradford and Flacco easy over Tebow.
I would also take Tebow over Ponder here in MN.
Zuwadza
5647
So what do Fox and Elway do after this season? They have a team that, for the most part, is capable of a playoff run. Without trading up they can’t get much in the draft and they don’t have a hell of a lot to trade away. I get the feeling that Elway doesn’t want to stick with Tebow, but if you dump Tebow what does the rest of the team think?
Lorini
5648
Tebow only has to win two more games and they’ll have a much better idea of what they want to do. Can he perform in the playoffs? Not likely as the Patriots basically owned the Broncos today. If somehow he made it to the AFC championship game, there would be no question they would keep him.
Well, to start with, I can’t see how they can possibly demote him to 2nd string again. The fans would go berserk. Which means they either start with him next year or trade him.
To trade him, you have to be able to make the claim that what you get is clearly a better deal. Which means you aren’t trading for a draft pick, you have to get a real deal QB. Maybe they can put together a package to get Manning? Oh, and you have to find a team that wants him. Regardless of having won 6 games, he hasn’t shown the type of skills most teams will want. Now if they could convince him to take a trade as a running back? I think that would be fantastic for Denver and for Tebow. I think he’d be a heck of a running back. I don’t see it happening, though.
Starting him is certainly problematic too: defensive coordinators will have an entire offseason to adjust to Denver’s running attack, and will be shutting it down a lot better than they this year (and keep in mind, most of the teams they have beaten this year have been pretty shitty teams. They almost certainly have to have a tougher schedule next year). So Tebow either has to improve dramatically as a passer, and also mature significantly in his skills as a “field general” if you will–not the leadership thing, but the reading of defenses, checking off, audibles, etc. I’m not convinced he can do that, but time will tell.
Basically, Denver is pretty much screwed, I suspect. Either way they go, they are going to catch a lot of shit.
jeffd
5650
It might be useful to break the category up further, into “NFL starter” and “NFL backup.”
Nawid_A
5651
The best move is to trade Tebow to Jacksonville but you might have a fanbase riot.
One thing that I think needs to be looked at is that keeping Denver may want to keep Tebow as they will now have an entire off season to work with him as the starter. With the past season and the lockout leaving out most of the off season stuff and Tebow starting as 3rd string in the preseason an off season as the starter might be what he needs to improve in some areas.
Two sides of the same coin.
Personally, if I’m Elway and Fox (I’m assuming Fox is going to be there next year), I’m stationing my OC and my QB coach right next door to Tebow’s house. They’re gonna be working out every. fucking. day in the offseason (Tebow would dig it, btw). Hell, move Von Miller there as well just to give him some pressure. Go all out and bring Norv in (he’s gonna be available); dude is a Jedi at offense. Elway’s gonna grind his horse-like teeth to nubs, but it’s a far better play than to take yet another QB in the draft (they need some wideouts at least) or to trade Tebow (you’re not going to get any value for the trade most likely).
I think, even in that scenario, Denver doesn’t get much past the divisional round of the playoffs next year in my reckoning.
Zuwadza
5654
San Diego is making the Ravens look like the Vikings!
Lorini
5655
The Ravens don’t like the West Coast clearly.
Zuwadza
5656
I guess the same could be said about the Raiders ;)
Lorini
5657
Am I correct that the Eagles cannot win the division?
I think it requires a no-shit tie* in the Giants-Cowboys game, Giants losing next week, with the Eagles winning out for them to win the division.
*don’t even know if that can happen.
Nawid_A
5659
Other than them having to win their last two games, Giants also have to lose next week but beat the Cowboys in Week 17. So it’s possible.
They can all finish 8-8, but the question is how the tiebreakers work. It should be easy to extrapolate because there’s only one path for them all to finish 8-8 – Cowboys lose the next two, Eagles win the next two, the Giants lose next week and then finish with a win against the Cowboys.
So anyone know? I don’t even think a Cowboys - Giants tie would work because then the Cowboys would be 8-7-1 and that is better than 8-8 and 7-8-1.
