Tim Tebow: Bill Belichick's Compliments Will Doom Broncos vs. Patriots

Tim Tebow has had his best success in the NFL when he's been underestimated. The fact that Bill Belichick is showering him with compliments does not bode well for the Broncos' chances.

The Boston Herald quoted Belichick as saying the following about Tebow:

"

I think his passing is good. It was good in college; he was a very productive passer in college and he’s thrown the ball well in this league. Throws it good short, throws it intermediate, can throw it deep. He’s got some very good throws, as good as anybody that you want to put in there.

"

He added:

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It looks about the same as he did in college. He can run, he can throw, he’s got good poise, doesn’t turn the ball over, makes good decisions.

"

Everything that's ever been said about Tebow by his opponents (before the game) has been backhanded, at best. None of that is. 

What Belichick is saying there is that he's going to prepare for Tebow in the same way that he's prepared for quarterbacks like Peyton Manning in the past. That's the worst thing for Denver, especially against a team like the Patriots. 

Tebow's success has been primarily based on the following formula:

Denver does very little for the first three quarters on offense. 

Their opponent plays conservative, keeping the Broncos in the game. 

Tim Tebow leads Denver to a victory in the final minutes.

The reason for No. 2 is largely that opposing coaches don't view Tebow as a threat. So, they play a conservative brand of football, don't score many points and make the game far closer than it needs to be. 

That plays right into the hands of Denver's improving defense. 

But now, things are different. Tebow is 7-1 as a starter. His only loss came against the Lions. That was far and away the best offense they have had to deal with in Tebow's games as a starter. The Patriots offense is significantly better than Detroit's. 

Belichick won't put the reigns on Tom Brady. He knows that his defense leaves a lot to be desired, so Brady's job will be to go out and win in a shootout. That's been a winning formula for the Patriots throughout the tenures of Belichick and Brady.

Belichick's words are not backhanded. They're an acknowledgment that Tebow is a good quarterback. Still, it's when Tebow is not on the field that the Broncos need to be concerned in this one. 

The most predictable unit for the Patriots is that offense. Those compliments show that Belichick knows something. He can't play a conservative style, keeping the Broncos in the game. He won't. 

What Belichick told us is that he's going to assume that his team will need to score on every possession. The Broncos won't keep up with that kind of fury.

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