Tim Tebow Can Lead the Denver Broncos to a Super Bowl

Tim Tebow's throwing motion. His catapult-like windup and release. The offense he ran in college. The surrounding cast he had in college. The lack of zip on his deep ball. The lack of touch on his short passes. His less-than-elite foot speed. His picture-perfect personality, which simply must have a dark side lurking underneath the facade.

Anyone who follows football knows all the reasons Tim Tebow can't win in the NFL.

Most think they know all the reasons why he could overcome those limitations, too: His college success, his leadership, his heart, his attitude and his will to win. The debate has raged for years over whether or not Tim Tebow's intangibles can overcome his tangibles.

What people don't realize is that his tangible skills are good enough to lead the Broncos to a Super Bowl.

All of Tebow's nitpicky flaws are not by themselves enough to preclude success. Every NFL quarterback has imperfections; even great ones have classic "red flags." Drew Brees is too short. Tom Brady is too soft. Peyton Manning can't win the big one.

What matters most in the NFL is a quarterback's ability to make good decisions, string together drives and generate points. During Tim Tebow's dramatic rally against San Diego, we saw that he possesses those skills in abundance.

With a mix of smart throws, athletic plays—and, yes, will to win—Tim Tebow extended plays, extended drives and made touchdowns happen. He had a few poor throws in the third quarter, but he also had some excellent passes dropped. Tebow's size, athleticism, and ability to find the open man remind me of a certain Super Bowl-winning quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger's instincts are impeccable; I've referred to his ability to turn broken plays into first downs as "magic." Tebow's not there yet. Last week, though, he proved he can feel the rush, escape it, find soft spots in the defense and get the ball to an open man.

Regardless of Tebow's limitations, he's proving he can at least do what an NFL quarterback must do to win. Moreover, the Broncos are putting him in a position to maximize his unusual skills. Tebow's 12-yard touchdown run came on a called quarterback draw perfectly designed to take advantage of his strengths, and the defense's weaknesses.

If the Broncos can continue to surround him with playmakers, and head coach John Fox can build up the defense, Tebow has proven he can lead his team to victories. If he continues to hone his instincts and polish his technique—and offensive coordinator Mike McCoy continues to maximize Tebow's unusual strengths—he can lead the Denver Broncos to a Super Bowl.