Tebow is a compelling story. There is just no way around that.
On one hand, you can build arguments on how he shouldn’t even be a pro quarterback for all his flaws, and no one can deny those flaws exist.
Yet, he is a winner in the NFL, no one can deny that. When you think of all the highly rated and highly gifted QBs who have come out of college and washed out without even making a ripple, it’s remarkable what he’s done.
How can that crazy story NOT be worth talking about?
I’m not sure that’s right. If the Giants win out, that includes a win over the Cowboys. In that scenario the best the Cowboys could finish would be 9-7 and the Giants would win the tiebreaker because of head-to-head.
So both the Cowboys and Giants still control their destinies. Either can win the division by winning their last two games.
That remains to be seen. His sample size is too small to say he’s much of anything at this point. Sometimes it’s not about who you play, but when you play them. Denver’s (not just Tebow) recent 7-1 streak exemplifies that to the nth degree.
[ul]
[li]Beat winless Miami[/li][li]Lost to Detriot[/li][li]Beat Oakland with a new QB (Palmer) who hadn’t played in a year throwing 3 ints.[/li][li]Beat KC when Cassel went down.[/li][li]Beat a Jets team that was coming off on a short week and an emotional loss to NE.[/li][li]Beat SD, who was finishing up 5 straight losses and missed a FG to lose.[/li][li]Beat Minn without AP.[/li][li]Beat Chicago without Cutler and Forte.[/li][/ul]
That’s still a 7-1 record, but you won’t see a “softer” winning streak all year. I expect Denver to beat a badly slumping Buffalo team and make the playoffs. After that, we’ll see how they do against a tough defense because they’ll play either Pittsburgh or Baltimore in the playoffs.
Well, of course you can only count the here and now, because all the talk is here and now.
If, in coming seasons, he becomes a loser and people are still talking about him as much as they are now, then I’d agree that’s uncalled for.
But can you not see the Hand of The Almighty at work in that schedule? The loss to Detroit is understandable because really, Christians have never done well verses lions.
The team was 1-4 when he took over at QB, so it’s not like Denver was a powerhouse. I don’t see how playing on a bad team beating other bad teams reflects poorly upon Tebow.
And look at it this way. Miami is playing well now. Oakland has been in the playoff picture all year. The Jets are a solid team. SD is on a tear now. Chicago still has that good defense. Those games were not automatic wins.
I think Tebow has sparked the team. The Broncos are playing better. And from what I’ve seen Tebow is improving. He doesn’t even have a full season of starts yet.
Lorini
5687
I think the Broncos beat bad teams, it’s as simple as that. Now whether or not they were bad teams all year is another discussion, but they were bad on the day the Broncos played them. The Broncos remind me of the Spurs in the NBA; the Spurs ended with the 2nd best record but were taken out of the playoffs in the first round because they hit teams at the right time for their wins.
Zuwadza
5688
Yes, you and CheeseyPoof are correct, sorry. I was misinterpreting the infernal playoff machine. It’s interesting that Philly has a chance to kill the Giants’ playoff hopes again, and really, given the way they’ve been playing the past two weeks, it seems like a distinct possibility.
There are still some funny playoff scenarios left in the NFC. There is a somewhat unlikely situation in which the Seahawks take the 6th seed if they win their final two and the Lions lose theirs. There is a (highly unlikely) scenario in which the Bears and the Seahawks get the 5th and 6th seeds.
jeffd
5689
For starters, cuz there’s like forty or so other guys involved in winning football games.
I know we use “______ won” as a form of shorthand, but I think in a lot of cases it sort of disguises what’s going on.
Sammich
5690
For those who happened not to see Knox’s injury yesterday, here’s a gif. I’m gonna spoiler it just in case, because it’s a little scary to look at.
fair warning
Oh wow, I hadn’t seen that before, that is just horrifying to look at.
Zuwadza
5693
Moore is seriously underrated. Brees spreads the ball around so much that none of the receivers is ever in the spotlight for very long. Graham is starting to see so much coverage that guys like Colston and Moore are finally seeing a good chunk of receptions again.
Speaking of Graham, he’s 170 yards away from beating the single season receiving yards record for a tight end set by Kellen Winslow Sr. in 1980.
sluggo
5694
Crazy stat of the day, courtesy of ESPN: Tonight is only the 4th time in MNF history that you have two 10-win teams matching up. All four have included the 49ers.
(the three previous games, if you’re wondering, were 49ers-Bears, 49ers-Giants, and 49ers-Broncos.)
sluggo
5695
Wow, and the power just went out at Candlestick, and ESPN has a great shot of when it happened.
Shadarr
5696
Finally, having a blimp at every game (including night games and domes) pays off.
I like how they’re talking about how they need to play before the ‘medicine’ wears off.
Sarkus
5699
Looks like somebody shouldn’t have started tonight after all.
Edit: I meant Ben, but maybe the power engineers as well. ;-)
Candlestick Park could use some actual candlesticks right now.
