Tim Tebow vs. Jets: Stats, Highlights and Reaction from Preseason Week 4

The Philadelphia Eagles finished their preseason schedule Thursday with a 24-18 loss to the New York Jets, but quarterback Tim Tebow made quite the statement in defeat.

It is only preseason—and he largely played against backup defenders—but Tebow is fighting for an Eagles roster spot and did virtually all he could to convince his coaching staff of his worthiness Thursday. The left-handed quarterback played for half of the game, and Philadelphia's offense appeared more comfortable and scored 15 of its 18 points with him in the backfield.

Here is a look at Tebow's final stats:    

Passing Attempts	Passing Yards	Passing Touchdowns	Interceptions	Quarterback Rating	Rushing Attempts	Rushing Yards	Rushing Touchdowns
11-of-17	189	2	1	117.0	4	32	0

Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports offered his congratulations for Tebow after the performance:

Perhaps the most significant news for the quarterback came before the Eagles took the field against the Jets. Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer noted coach Chip Kelly would alternate quarters between Tebow and Matt Barkley, with Tebow playing in the second and fourth. The strategy provided plenty of playing time to make an impact, and he took advantage.

Barkley certainly didn't look the part early and threw an interception on the second play of scrimmage. Tebow got the offense back on track in the second quarter, although he took some time to settle into the flow of the game.

Brandon Lee Gowton of SB Nation pointed out the quarterback didn't receive much help from his teammates, although Connor Hughes of About.com was not convinced:

Tebow flipped the switch and marched the Eagles 85 yards for a touchdown near the end of the half to cut the lead to 17-12. He hit Rasheed Bailey with a strike for an 18-yard score on third down and appeared comfortable throwing from the pocket during the drive.

The NFL provided a highlight of the play, while Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer praised the lefty for the strong throw:

In all, Tebow went 6-of-10 for 105 yards and a touchdown and added two carries for 18 yards in the second quarter. Ross Tucker of NBC Sports Network seemed to think it was enough to garner the former Florida Gator a spot on Philadelphia's roster:

By the time Tebow returned to the field in the fourth quarter, his Eagles trailed 24-12, which probably helped his chances to make the team. After all, Barkley finished a disappointing 4-of-9 for 45 yards and an interception and failed to lead Philadelphia on a single touchdown drive.

Hughes acknowledged the silver lining for Tebow in the race for a roster spot:

Perhaps sensing the opportunity, Tebow lofted a 45-yard bomb down the middle of the field to Freddie Martino early in the final quarter. While he threw a pick on a desperation fourth-down attempt to end that drive, it was impossible to ignore the touch, as the NFL highlighted: 

The throw to Martino foreshadowed what was to come because Tebow found him in the corner of the end zone on the very next Eagles drive to cut the deficit to 24-18. ESPN's Skip Bayless commented on another impressive play from the quarterback:

Unfortunately for Eagles fans, that touchdown toss was the last time Tebow saw the field. The Jets strung together a number of first downs and bled away the rest of the clock to secure the 24-18 victory.

What's Next?

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

With the preseason officially in the rearview mirror, it is now time for Tebow to wait for his coaches to decide whether he did enough to make the roster as the third quarterback behind Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez.

The quarterback commented on his status, per Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal:

Bayless advocated on Tebow's behalf:

Bayless wasn't the only one who pointed to Tebow's ability to play at the NFL level.

Two-time Super Bowl-winning coach and Fox analyst Jimmy Johnson discussed the former Florida Gator's status on the radio show of Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel (via OrlandoSentinel.com): "Tim Tebow brings so much to the table and so much to the team that if you were very good in all the different areas—offensive line, running the football, defense—I think you could be successful with Tim Tebow as your quarterback."

New addition DeMarco Murray led the league in rushing yards last season while in Dallas, so the Eagles at least have the rushing attack in place around Tebow if he was to see time at quarterback.

Still, even if Tebow makes the team, he likely won't see much of the field unless there are injuries. But he could play a role in specially designed packages. His versatility and ability to pick up critical short third downs or two-point conversions with his legs make him valuable, especially in comparison to Barkley, who isn't as mobile.

That, along with Thursday's performance, could be enough for Tebow to make the 2015 Philadelphia Eagles. The team opens the regular season on Monday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons on September 14.