Tim Tebow: Can He Salvage Denver Broncos' Playoff Hopes As Starting QB?
Tim Tebow finally contributed to the Denver Broncos offense in a regular season game. But might it be time to play Tebow even more?
As the holy trinity of the 2010 draft work through their first season, both Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy have now started games while Tebow is just now getting his feet wet.
But how long can Josh McDaniels and the Denver brass wait before the season is lost?
At 2-4 they might have been out of it in other divisions, but with the unproven and barely tested Kansas City Chiefs atop the AFC West, Denver still has a chance at the playoffs.
So why not make a move that will jolt the team and the division?
The Running Game Is Terrible
1 of 10
As stated by me and probably several others, the trade for Laurence Maroney helped the Patriots more than the Broncos because of addition by subtraction.
Maroney is a bust and is proving to be so in Denver. With Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter also struggling, playing Tebow can do nothing but help the anemic running game.
How can a team that has played six games have a leading rusher with 159 yards?
The Broncos entered the game with the league's worst rushing attack.
But with Tebow carrying the ball just six times, he helped them cross the 100-yard rushing mark for the first time all season.
Kyle Orton and Hollow Numbers
2 of 10
Let me first state that I have tried several times this year to trade for Kyle Orton for my fantasy team. He is putting up the types of numbers that will get him to the Pro Bowl, the same way Derek Anderson got to the the Pro Bowl in 2007.
Anderson finished the season with 29 touchdowns and 19 interceptions and has not seen the Pro Bowl since and might never start again.
Not saying Orton is the same player but every few years a guy puts up crazy numbers and breaks through. This could be that year for Orton but he might not take the team with him
Unlike Anderson who led the Browns to a 10-6 record that year, Orton's 323 average yards passing per game hasn't translated into wins.
The Offensive Line
3 of 10
Most football folks know that there is a difference between run blocking and pass blocking.
Run blocking offensive lines get to deliver the blow while pass blocking lines have to sit back and keep the oncoming rushers from getting to their guy.
With the Broncos it seems pretty obvious that the line is more comfortable pass blocking right now.
Which could be one of the many reasons why the rushing offense is so bad.
Having Tebow in there putting them in the mindset of blocking for tough yards might be the change of attitude that they need.
Tebow is nothing if not inspirational.
Ask his former Gators teammates how much they miss him this year.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
The Oakland Game
4 of 10
The Broncos have lost two straight games. Strangely enough those games have not hurt their playoff chances much at all.
With all four teams in the AFC South coming into Week Six tied for the division lead, and the AFC East having the Jets, Patriots and Dolphins all with winning records, there was no chance whatsoever of any team in the AFC West grabbing the wild card spot.
So in essence, Denver's main objective has to be beating all the other teams in their division.
If the Broncos were to sweep all six of their upcoming games against their division rivals, they would all but guarantee themselves a division crown.
This pursuit starts with Oakland next week. The Raiders wouldn't know what hit them if Tebow played more than just a handful of plays.
The Bye Week
5 of 10
After playing the two Bay area teams the Denver Broncos have a bye week. What better time to put Tim Tebow into the starting lineup?
The New England Patriots went into their bye week with all but a few components of the passing offense that broke records a couple years ago and took them to the Super Bowl.
They came out of the bye week with the short passing offense that they won three Super Bowls with in the early 2000's.
That proves that you can revamp a whole system in less than two weeks.
The AFC West Champion Kansas City Chiefs?
6 of 10
It's no coincidence that the Kansas City Chiefs organization is currently littered with former New England Patriots player and coaches.
Because the team is winning the same way the Pats won titles; with great defense, even better special teams play and an effective running game.
The only thing that they are lacking that the Pats have had for years now is great quarterback play. Matt Cassel is not Drew Bledsoe, so never-mind Tom Brady.
Until Cassel steps his game up consistently everyone will continue to wonder if the Chiefs for real.
As it stands, the Chiefs are 3-2 and 1 1/2 games ahead of the other three teams in the division, including the Broncos.
But because of their relatively easy schedule, if the Broncos are going to catch the Chiefs they have to sweep both upcoming games against them and hope that the Raiders and Chargers also beat them.
The Chiefs host the Broncos the week after Denver's bye week.
The San Diego Chargers Are Vulnerable
7 of 10
The San Diego Chargers have started slow before, but this might be the first season that they dig themselves a hole that they can't get out of.
LaDainian Tomlinson isn't there to save the day, their wide receivers are going down by two's and Superman Antonio Gates is now hurt.
Right after the bye week the Broncos have three out of four division games, and the Chargers are the second game.
The Broncos can not only catch up with the Chiefs by then but they can pretty much hammer in the final nail in the coffin of the team everyone predicted would win the AFC West crown.
Fortifying the ground game by incorporating Tebow more into the plans could help accomplish these goals.
Energizing The Team
8 of 10
After his play on Sunday against the Jets, not only were New York players commenting on Tebow's play but his own teammates were excited to see him out there.
"That guy is a really good athlete," Broncos wide receiver Brandon Lloyd said of Tebow. "As many times as we can get him on the field and get him to be productive for the offense, that's great."
To be sure, there is no quarterback controversy like maybe in Philadelphia, and the whole blame of the team's losing record can't fall on Orton's shoulders.
But it's getting late, early.
The Remaining Schedule
9 of 10
Another reason for Denver to be thinking Carpe Diem is the fact that the Broncos have a very favorable schedule remaining.
After six games this season, Denver has not faced one team that came in with a losing record.
Of their remaining ten games only Kansas City and Houston have winning records right now.
Needless to say if a run were to be made now would be the time.
The Future
10 of 10
One way or another Denver will know what they have really soon, either they will fall further below the .500 line and lose touch with the other division rivals or they will make a run at things and want to get better.
Either way it seems like one of their best options to making the team better without trading for new players is to use Tebow more.
If not as the starting quarterback then as a secret weapon.
And if in a few weeks they realize that they can't win division, why not play Tebow to see what you have in the future?
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")