Tim Tebow Highlights: Inexplicable Success Proving to Be More Than Pure Fluke

I watched the Jets vs. Broncos game on Thursday night and was shocked. Well, I watched the end of the game and was shocked. The first 55 minutes didn't really shock me. 

However, as I look back, the final five minutes shouldn't have shocked me either. While the one loss was a rather thorough defeat, Tim Tebow's record as Denver's starter in 2011 is 4-1. With the more classically skilled Kyle Orton, they were 1-4. 

That speaks for itself. 

Is Tebow a fluke? After he beat Miami, I thought he was. After he lost 45-10 to Detroit, I certainly thought what happened against Miami was a fluke. However, the fact that the Broncos have now won their last three games since that defeat makes me say no.

That being said, he's clearly not 4-1 as the starter this season because of his passing ability. 

Tebow is a fantastic athlete. When he runs the ball and gets into the secondary with a head of steam, he's a nightmare for defensive backs to try to bring down. No other quarterbacks brings that combination of size and speed. 

That's not a fluke. That style may not last a long time, and hits to the body will eventually slow him down, but he's not slowing down yet. 

For a lot of the early season, the Broncos were a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick in 2012 NFL draft. They are now actually in playoff contention, just a half game behind the Raiders, who face a grueling final stretch of games. 

When something consistently happens, even if it's different from anything we've ever seen before, it's not lucky. Even if it's not achieved in a classic way, a 4-1 stretch is really indicative that something he does gives the opposition trouble.

For Tebow, it's the running ability. For the style of offense that Denver has, he's really a good option. They need a quarterback that can move around and create his own plays far more than they need a good passer.

The Broncos' offensive line and receivers simply aren't good enough for a precision offense. Even though his passes aren't pretty, or always on point, Tebow is the best quarterback for the team right now.

He's not putting up 40 points a game, but he doesn't need to. The Denver defense is rapidly improving and Tebow's generally not turning the ball over, even when he struggles. That's why the team has been in position to win games late.

Tebow plays his best football when the game is on the line. We'll have to wait and see how long his style of play works, but for now, his success is anything but lucky.