Tim Tebow: Broncos' QB Was Awful, but Does He Get a Pass by Playing God Card?

Several different chants can be heard about Tim Tebow during an NFL game, but when it comes to his performance on the football field, his faith should never be mentioned.   

The Denver Broncos quarterback is no stranger to the public eye, and he is certainly not afraid to share his faith with anyone.

Yes, even those who hate him. 

However, he doesn't get off scot-free for whatever he does just because of his religion. It's a big part of his life, and it always will be, but his faith in God doesn't mean he gets a "get out of jail free card" for his performance on the football field.

The NFL and its fans are in for a wild ride as long as Tebow is present, but he is no different from any other player in the league.

His job, no, his career is to perform well on the field, and he didn't do that last week.  

In no way does Tebow get a pass since he is easily the most outspoken NFL player in regards to his religion.

I too am a man of faith, but that doesn't mean I get pass because I had an awful day at work. The same goes for Tebow because he is a regular human being just like you and I, despite the rumors that he is Superman.

Tebow is a puzzling figure in the NFL because there is no in-between. You either love the guy or you hate him. Why so many people wish to criticize such a good person is beyond me.

Kurt Warner has pointed out that perhaps the ridicule Tebow always receives makes him be better. Per NFL.com:

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"Like me, Tim wears his faith on his sleeve," said former NFL quarterback and NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner, also a devout and open Christian. "I felt like there were always people who said football should be over here and faith should be over there. But that drove me. And I think it drives him."

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While this is likely true, things don't magically change for Tebow when he doesn't perform well. 

Tim Keown of ESPN The Magazine wrote an insightful piece on Tebow that will appear in the Oct. 31 issue. Interesting that it comes out on Halloween. 

Keown wrote about how there's never been anything like the Tebow phenomenon.

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"There is the football angle: Can Tebow's unique talents translate to NFL success despite his deficiencies? There is the religious angle: Does his outspoken Christianity explain the vitriol of some of his detractors and, on the other side, the holy hell aimed at his coaches for not playing him?

And then there is the parochial but most fascinating angle: What in the world will the Broncos do with him? 

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Denver has made him the starter, and for awhile there it didn't look to be a very bright move. His future with the team is still up in the air, and it is believed that how he performs this season will ultimately decide his fate with the Broncos. 

Still, though, it is a crazy situation for the Broncos and one that will be closely watched all season long. He wasn't great by any means last week, and he should never be given a pass because of his faith. No player should.  

If anything, Tebow gets a pass for his awful performance because he came back and won the game. He did what he had to do when the game was on the line, and that shouldn't go unnoticed.

But another thing that shouldn't be overlooked is how bad Tebow was for the first 55 minutes or so of the game. 

Until his final two drives of regulation, Tebow had completed four out of 14 passes for just 40 yards, and he and the Broncos were 0-for-10 on third down. 

It looked as though the Miami Dolphins were finally going to get their first win of the season, but then Tebow led the Broncos on an improbable comeback.

Tebow is so tantalizing because of how popular he has become. In fact, even players are welcoming the hateful chants towards him, which is absolutely absurd to think about.

Jeff Darlington of NFL.com was covering the game and he tweeted some astonishing news in the closing minutes of the game.

This doesn't mean that Taylor hates Tebow, but it shows that the Tebow phenomenon is widely spreading and in the heat of battle it will affect anyone.  

The former first-round draft pick has long been scrutinized about whether or not he can be an elite quarterback at the NFL level, and many folks are annoyed by the fact that he is such a religious guy. 

Tebow will never be a different person, as he will always rep Jesus as his homeboy. It's who he is and nobody will ever change that about him. 

That doesn't mean that he is some special human being that gets a pass no matter how bad he plays football.

His sloppy play will not be forgotten, especially by the man himself. Tebow knows he didn't play a complete game of football, and he'll set out to be better this coming Sunday when the Broncos host the Detroit Lions.  

For most of the game Tebow's play was bad, but overall he played decent football last week, which is unacceptable if the Broncos expect to win games.

That type of play won't take the Broncos very far. He needs to be better and more consistent in order to take the Broncos to the next level, something every starting quarterback strives to do. 

Yes, he came back and won the game, but it was against the depleted Dolphins.

If he plays that poorly again, there won't be a shot to come from behind and win because the deficit will be too large against a more quality opponent.  

If you wish to give Tebow a pass because you love him, then do so because he won the game and not because he is a great religious man.

While he is a man of a faith, he is also a football player, and when he doesn't do well it's something that shouldn't be ignored, just like every NFL player. After all, it's what they get paid the big bucks to do.