Tim Tebow: 5 Thoughts on the Denver Broncos QB's Preseason Week 1 Performance

As the Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys first-teamers exited the game on Thursday night, all eyes zeroed in on Broncos QB, Tim Tebow.

He's obviously been under a lot of pressure this training camp, and certainly more than when he was in the collegiate ranks.

That being said, he answered the call in the Broncos' first preseason game in having a solid performance going 6-of-7 for 91 yards.

Now to break it all down, here are some thoughts on his production.

Better in a Live Game

Tebow has been an anomaly all along by performing better in a live game than practice.

It was the case in 2010, despite not starting until the last few weeks, but the truth still holds firm.

He seemed to have some butterflies in his stomach prior to the game (happens to anyone who's ever loved playing the game of football), and getting those first-hit jitters out was helpful.

He definitely showed more patience than advertised from previous performances, so that also reveals that Tebow has matured in the pocket.

Same Old Competitor

When a play breaks down, most QBs either throw the ball away, or run out of bounds if extending with their feet proves to be moot.

It happens every game at every level, and Thursday was no exception.

Tebow had a few plays break down after he had dropped back and scanned through his progression, but being the competitor that he is, he tried to make something out of nothing. To no surprise, he took off running and gained some solid yardage.

However, there were other times where he tried to do a little too much, and should have just given up on the play.

If we've learned anything from Tim Tebow, giving up on any play, regardless of the circumstances, is just unacceptable.

Then again, it's better to have that attitude than the other way around.

Has Improved Mechanics

Tebow stepped under center and out of his comfort zone quite a bit on Thursday. It's something he rarely, if ever, did while playing under Urban Meyer at Florida.

Dropping back while reading the defense and then gunning the ball downfield wasn't something he did on a regular basis with the Gators.

Still, by lasering a few balls across the grid, he proved last night that he has worked on his mechanics. 

Now, his mechanics are by no means where they need to be; however, for what he accomplished against Dallas, it's a good starting point.

Still Has Some Happy Feet

Let's face it—how many times did you see Tim Tebow get rocked like this in college?

Maybe two or three times at the most?

Taking those kinds of hits displays signs of "happy feet," so he's not completely out of the water just yet.

That being said, he must work on sitting back and being patient to get himself acclimated to being a pocket passer.

Until Tebow gets completely comfortably in the pocket when taking the snap from under center, the happy feet will be looming beneath him.

Still the No. 2 QB

Let me put it this way, Tim Tebow didn't do anything to hurt his case for being Denver's No. 2 QB.

Playing against the No. 2 Dallas defense, and playing rather well, shows that he's a solid backup.

Yes, he does have to consistently perform well throughout the rest of the preseason, but unless Kyle Orton implodes or spontaneously combusts, Tebow will be No. 2.

He didn't really close the gap on Orton, but definitely has separated himself from Brady Quinn, despite Quinn's solid numbers on Thursday.

I anticipate Tebow being the No. 2 QB behind Kyle Orton, but know that he is becoming a decent backup in Denver.

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