Is Tebow Really That Good?
by Jim Nowak, Sports Co-Editor
Photo by newsfeed.times.com
It’s Tebow Time! This issue looks at Tim Tebow’s rise to fame and why there is such a stark contrast between Tebow-believers and Tebow-haters.
Tim Tebow was given a chance to be a full time starter this year by Denver Broncos’ coach John Fox and lead executive John Elway. Many experts thought the “Tebow Experiment” would last a week or two, but Tebow’s will to win and faith in himself have led the Broncos to an AFC West championship, a spot as the second alternate quarterback on the AFC Pro Bowl team, and a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs. Tebow, as a starter this season, has gone 7-4 losing to the New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, led by former Bronco quarterback Kyle Orton. The loss to the Patriots stopped a six-game winning streak with Tebow as quarterback. Is Tebow really an amazing quarterback or are his flaws being hidden by other aspects of the Broncos?
Tebow came into the NFL with a lot of potential problems. These problems had Tebow projected as a late second round to middle third round pick in the 2010 NFL draft. The biggest of his problems was his throwing motion. Tebow would start the ball low, almost at his waist, and then come around the ball in order to get to a “normal” arm slot to throw the football. Scouts and experts continued to push this problem, as holding the ball low allows for more chances for the defense to strip the football and force a fumble, but also the delivery time would be extremely long. In a game where at any moment four to seven men who could weigh anywhere from 250 to 380 pounds, time is of the essence. Tebow has tried to correct this problem by holding the ball above his shoulder, but his release is still a work in progress. While he is able to get the ball out quicker, he does not have the arm strength to throw the ball more than 20-30 yards accurately.
Tebow’s accuracy has been another problem area this season. At the end of the regular season, Tebow completed 126 of 271 passes for a completion percentage of 46.5%. Average quarterbacks have a completion percentage around 57-59%. While I agree Tebow’s accuracy needs to improve, there are some cases where Tebow is not at fault. The way John Fox has the offense set up, taking chances is not in the game plan. Tebow is asked to manage the game. If there are no receivers open and a running lane is not available, Tebow has been told to throw the ball away rather than try to force a pass into coverage. Also, the Bronco receivers are not the best and have dropped many passes that NFL receivers are expected to catch.
Tebow’s running ability is a big part of the hype that surrounds him. He has great quickness for a man of his stature. He ran a 4.17-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and is known for his strength when running. Unlike most quarterbacks, Tebow doesn’t shy away from contact when running the football. Tebow has been seen plowing through defenders and fighting for extra yards after first contact.
Tebow’s intangibles might be the biggest part of his game. His decision-making skills when it comes to where to run, who should get the ball on option plays and when it’s time to leave the pocket and try to run down the field make him a natural leader. The faith that he has in himself and his teammates give the players a sense of hope that no lead is big enough. Last, but certainly not least, Tebow’s ability to take over the fourth quarter and lead or, in some cases, will his team to a fourth quarter comeback cannot be overlooked. In each of Tebow’s wins this season, the opposing team held a lead or, in the case of the win against Oakland in week nine, entered the fourth quarter tied.
Some say that Tebow isn’t that good, and that the Denver defense has allowed Tebow to be in the position to lead game winning drives. While this is true, the fact that Tebow led the Broncos on those drives, sometimes even taking matters into his own hands and running the football tells me he is a worthwhile investment for the Broncos. Is he at a star level? No. I would put him as an average quarterback with a lot of work to do with the aspects of his passing game, but a spectacular runner who could be a game changer with his feet. His intangibles create havoc for defenses, and the way he plays the quarterback position may be changing the way NFL scouts and coaches think about quarterbacks from a pure pocket-passer, a quarterback that strictly throws the football, to a more option-style quarterback, a quarterback that can run the football as well as throw it.