Raiders vs. Broncos: Tim Tebow Ready If Called Upon Against Oakland

Tim Tebow is currently listed as the third-stringer on the Denver Broncos' depth chart at quarterback behind Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn heading into the Monday Night Football nightcap against the Oakland Raiders in Denver.

However, new head coach John Fox would be wise to move the former Heisman Trophy winner up the ladder at least one rung in the event that something goes awry with Orton.

Any injury or prolonged ineffectiveness from Orton would, theoretically, press Quinn into duty, though Tebow might actually be the better option. The former Heisman Trophy winner made his first career NFL start against the Raiders in Oakland last season and acquitted himself quite well, completing 8-of-16 for 138 yards and a touchdown. Tebow also ran for 78 yards, a number buoyed by a 40-yard touchdown run that brought back visions of his more decorated days at Florida.

Tebow's debut began a run of success that had him looking like the quarterback of the future in Denver. He followed up that opening salvo with 308 yards passing and two total touchdowns in a win over the Houston Texans the very next week, and continued with 208 yards passing, two touchdowns and two interceptions—to go along with 94 yards and a touchdown on the ground—in a loss to the San Diego Chargers in the season finale.

That three-game stretch is presumably what got Tebow to thinking that the starting job in Denver was his to lose before Orton came away as the clear No. 1 in camp.

Quinn, meanwhile, hasn't started a game since 2009 when he was with the Cleveland Browns and has as many 300-yard passing games in four NFL seasons as Tebow does heading into his second.

As far as Orton is concerned, there's little chance he'll be relieved of his starting duties unless he suffers some sort of catastrophic injury or struggles mightily against the Raiders, which is entirely possible on both counts.

For now, though, Tebow will simply have to stand by, clipboard in hand, waiting for two quarterbacks to fail before he can even hope to put cleat to turf on Monday night.

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