Tim Tebow to Jets: Why Move Shows New York's Commitment to Run Game

Despite what all the loudmouth, know-it-all, sports-talk radio and television personalities will have you believe, the New York Jets had actual football-related reasons for acquiring Tim Tebow today.

That reason is to improve their offense, and specifically their running game.

Sure, there will be ancillary benefits to "Timsanity" in New York, like ticket sales, jersey sales, constant media attention and higher moral character in the locker room, but Tebow's impact will be felt most significantly in the team's running game.

The Jets' current stable of running backs consists of Shonn Greene, Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell.  

They figure to bring in one more running back either through the draft or free agency.

Even if they did, the Jets do not have the most intimidating running back corps.

Greene has shown that he can do an adequate job when he has the blockers, and his north-south running style lends itself to the Jets' alleged re-dedication to the "ground and pound."

With the right playbook and better run-blocking, Greene and the Jets' ground game will be greatly improved in 2012, and Tebow will make it that much better.

The Jets will most likely have two different offenses: one for Mark Sanchez and one for Tebow.  If they are able to run both efficiently, they will be a nightmare for opposing defenses to deal with.

The initial reaction to the Tebow trade seems to negative among Jets fans, but the truth of the matter is that nobody knows what this will bring.

People have been making the link between Tebow, Tony Sparano and the Wildcat offense.  However, the most likely scenario is that the Jets offense with Tebow will be much more complicated than the Wildcat.

When the Jets have a crucial third or fourth down to convert, they now have so many options to call that it will be impossible for a defense to prepare for the Jets' short-yardage package.

On top of that, when Tebow is on the field, defenses will put their focus directly on him and away from Greene.

There are obvious negatives to Tebow being traded to the Jets, as well.

Jets fans will be chanting Tebow's name during the first quarter of the first preseason game and at every game throughout the year.  

No matter how you slice it, that will be a distraction to the thin-skinned Sanchez.  

Sanchez was riled when Mark Brunell took a handful of snaps with the first team at a midweek practice last year, so how will he react when Tebow takes significant reps with the first team every practice?

More than anything, this situation will test the Jets coaching staff.

Their offense now has so many options in the running game that with the right coordination and play-calling, the Jets ground game can rank among the hardest to contend with in the NFL.

Nobody knows how many snaps Tebow will be on the field for.  It could just be a handful of snaps a game.

But if there is a key 3rd-and-1 to convert or an opportunity for a touchdown from inside the 3-yard line, you can bet Tebow will be on the field, and they will be more likely to convert that in 2012 than they were in 2011.