New York Jets 2012 Schedule: Best Chances for Tim Tebow to See Field

Now that Tim Tebow is on the Jets, we're going to see a lot of him, even as Mark Sanchez's backup. Tebow is not an ordinary backup, and he will be on the field an awful lot in 2012, even if Sanchez is completely healthy. 

First off, if you have been out of the loop, Tebow was traded from the Broncos to the Jets on Wednesday, as was first reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN. 

"

Denver traded quarterback Tim Tebow to the NY Jets.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2012"

The deal hit a contract-related snag at one point in the afternoon, though the two teams were soon able to work out the kinks and strike a deal that sends Tebow and Denver's seventh-round pick to the Big Apple in exchange for the Jets' fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2012 NFL Draft.

So, when will he see the field? To answer that, we need to  take a look at their opponents (courtesy of NewYorkJets.com).

Home	Away
Buffalo Bills	Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins	Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots	New England Patriots
Arizona Cardinals	Jacksonville Jaguars
Houston Texans	Pittsburgh Steelers
Indianapolis Colts	Seattle Seahawks
San Diego Chargers	St. Louis Rams
San Francisco 49ers	Tennessee Titans

So, when will Tebow see some action? Before going on, I need to restate that Sanchez should be the quarterback, and as long as he's healthy there's no reason to believe that he won't be the team's primary signal caller. 

But when we're talking about a backup quarterback with Tebow's skills, someone else being the primary player at the position will not keep him off of the field. 

The kind of team that Tebow will be used well against is one that defends the run well. In NFL terms, the time it takes for a QB to hand the ball to a RB is an eternity, especially when we're talking about an opposing defense with fast linebackers. 

But if Tebow is in the backfield taking a direct snap and those linebackers have to at least respect the threat of a pass, then their timing gets thrown off, even if only by a little bit. That is often the difference between converting a third-and-short and being stuffed. 

So, going back to the original question, what games can we expect to see Tebow get some good action in?

Well, the 49ers, Dolphins, Texans, Steelers, and Jaguars all had Top-10 rushing defenses in 2011. Those five teams take up six of the Jets' 16 games in 2012, and I would expect to see Tebow an awful lot in every one of those contests.

There are other scenarios where Tebow will also be valuable in all short yardage spots, regardless of the opponent. We'll have to see what time of the year these games end up being played, but Tebow will also be valuable in inclement weather. That opens up the entire late-season home schedule, and also any post-Halloween road game, with the exception of the Rams (if that's when they play). 

When quarterbacks drop back to hand the ball off, there is a possibility of a slip. Actually, in cold weather games, it happens a lot. That is where Tebow would be valuable, again in the modified Wildcat role. 

We'll have to see when these games are played, but I wouldn't expect to see him a lot early in the season against teams with average-to-bad rushing defenses. 

But when we're talking about good run defenses on the other side of the ball, and when we get to November and cold weather, and heavy precipitation becomes a factor, we're going to see an awful lot of Tebow on the field. 

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