Tim Tebow Can and Will Succeed as the Starting QB for the Denver Broncos

Tim Tebow can and will succeed as the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos. This much I know. 

Obviously he is fighting an uphill battle. For everyone who seems to think he can do it, there seems to be dozens of naysayers. 

His mechanics are not good enough. He does not have the arm strength. He does not have the poise necessary to stand in the pocket and deliver a big throw.

These reasons among others are often cited as to why Tebow will fail in the NFL. 

I like to focus my concentrations on the positive side of things. 

Of course I understand that not everyone will be a success in the NFL. That fact is a given. The NFL is tough. It is a place where only the strong survive. It is not a league for those who are weak in the knees. 

So, with such criticism why exactly do I think that Tebow can succeed. There are a few reasons that I think will allow Tebow to not only be a viable option at quarterback but that will allow him to thrive in this position.

First is Tebow's work ethic and desire. He has always been known to be a tireless worker. There are very few players in any sport who put the amount of work in that Tebow does. He studies hard and pushes himself even harder. 

He has worked relentlessly on his fundamentals and whether people like to admit it or not, he have improved.  While he does not possess the raw ability of some of his contemporaries, through sheer effort, he is working on getting there. It is clear that fundamentally, his throwing technique is in a better place than it was while at Florida. 

I also think the timing of Tebow's emergence as the starting quarterback is going to help his ability to succeed. The fact that he was not thrown into the mix right away and that he has had the opportunity to assimilate to the NFL game is huge.

It is well known that in the NFL the game moves at a much faster speed than it does at the college level. Over the past 21 games, with a fairly limited amount of playing experience, Tebow has been able to see this speed up close and personal. 

Sure, he had a few starts last year, which coincidentally probably went a little better than most had expected, but for the most part he has been a spectator on Sunday's. 

This time spent watching and absorbing the game before him will pay off exponentially in the long run. 

Another key to Tebow's success lies in those around him.  Football is and always will be a team sport. Tebow cannot succeed on his own. He will need the offensive line to provide adequate protection. He will need Brandon Lloyd and Eric Decker to continue to make plays. However the single biggest help will be Willis McGahee. The former Miami standout, who has been very good thus far, has reached 100+yards on the ground in three of the first five games. His productivity on the ground can keep defenses honest. In turn, it will open up more opportunities for Tebow to take advantage through the air. 

However, I would argue the most important aspect to Tebow's being successful is just this fact.  Tim Tebow is a winner. He has always been a winner. 

Although he played in a more limited role during the 2006 season, he was a member of two national championship winning teams while at the University of Florida.

Despite the fact that he was not the starting quarterback in the 2006 National Championship game, he did manage to make an impact on the game. He recorded two touchdowns, one passing and one rushing when he came off the bench.

He has always been a winner. As the Gators starting quarterback he compiled a record of 35-6, including, yes another national championship. 

In his final collegiate start, with rumors already swirling that he would not be drafted in the first round, and that he will be forced to convert to tight end if he expects to play at the next level; Tebow delivered statistically the greatest game of his college career. 

He torched the Cincinnati Bearcats on New Year's Day 2010 for 482 yards and three touchdowns while completing an amazing 31-35 passing. He also ran the ball 14 times for 51 yards and another score. 

It was Tebow's signature game-at least statistically. 

Perhaps though, the signature moment of Tim Tebow's college career came during a press conference in 2008. 

Coming into the 2008 campaign, the Florida Gators were the among the favorites to win the National Championship. There was talk that they could run the table. 

They did not run the table. 

In the season's fourth game, Tebow and the Gators were upset, 31-30 by Ole Miss. 

The postgame press conference was one for the ages. 

The Promise, The Speech-call it what you will. What it was though, was a young man wearing his heart on his sleeve. Owning up to the fact that he and his Gators did not live up to their potential on that day. The words that flowed and the passion that emanated left you knowing two things. First,that Tebow had arrived and additionally,that the Gators would, in no uncertain terms never under perform again, not with him manning the controls. 

Most people know what happened from there. Tebow and the Gators ran the table and won the National Championship. The quarterback lit a fire that afternoon that burned the college football landscape uncontrollably.

A man with that much heart and that much desire can never be discounted. You wanted him to play tight end. You wanted him to play defense. Well guess what, he wants to play quarterback.  Two Sundays from now in Miami, that is exactly what he is going to do.

He may not win Sunday and he may not have a winning record this season but you will see an athlete who gets better every week. Who continues to improve.

An athlete who will win games. An athlete who over the course of time will leave his indelible mark on the NFL...as a quarterback!