Jets vs. Giants: Tim Tebow Earns His Spot on the Punt Unit

We have all heard how Tim Tebow is an outstanding "football player."

This offseason, we learned that he will even be used in the punt unit for the New York Jets (via ESPN's Rich Cimini).

In the second preseason game against the New York Giants, Tebow showed how much he deserves to play in that punt unit by showing why he should not be used anywhere else.

The Stats

Avert your eyes if you're weak of heart.

Tebow got plenty of chances to throw the ball in this game and finished going 5-of-14 for 69 yards. He was sacked four times for minus-33 yards and had two rushes for five yards.

The net result on offense: 20 plays, 41 yards. Awesome!

Positive Spin

There are some caveats for those willing to grasp at hope.

Right tackle Wayne Hunter played hurt, while wide receivers Santonio Holmes and Chaz Schilens sat with injuries. The poor protection and lack of viable targets certainly did not help in the passing game.

Mark Sanchez, however, managed to complete 9-of-11 passes with equally bad protection. He only had one bad throw—an interception on a botched play with backup wide receiver Patrick Turner.

The lack of protection does not explain Tebow's poor mechanics.

The Jets need better offensive line play, but even if they get their line in shape, it's not clear that any line in this league can hold a pocket long enough for Tebow's painfully slow windup.

The Good News

I guess the spin didn't end up quite as positive as one might hope, however, there is a silver lining.

There were no punts blocked this week. In fact, the defense and special teams were acceptable. Tebow is really proving his value as a member of the punt unit and (one can only hope) nothing more.

Wayne "The Whiff" Hunter

Starting right tackle Wayne Hunter (minor back injury) played a terrible game. Both Tebow and Sanchez were under constant duress, resulting in seven sacks against two fairly mobile quarterbacks.

We should expect improved offensive line play in the regular season; however, it is the quarterback's job to release the ball quickly, and Tim Tebow is the worst in the league at that.

Unless Tebow can improve on at least some of his faults as a passer, Jets fans should hope he remains on the punt unit.