This post is a result of listening to too much talk radio over the past few weeks, as the Bronco season has come to an exciting conclusion. I have been caught multiple times driving to my various locations screaming at the radio because some guy who thinks he's smarter than the rest of us because he gets payed to TALK about sports. The vast majority of these blowhards have no use for Tim Tebow and are irritated because they are forced to talk about him because A) he has the audacity to keep leading his team to victory and B) the public wants to talk about him. Then they always through in some snide/sarcastic reference to his faith, but then with the obligatory "but I am not hating on him.. I am really routing for him!" The only talking head that gives him a break (skip bayless) is so far over the top that's it's difficult to take him seriously. He has won over pretty much any REAL football person that has been close to him (Urban Meyer, Josh McDaniel-- I really choke as I type that name--, and now John Fox/John Elway, others that I don't know about). So, I decided for a little therapy... otherwise known as blogging. And you get to read what I have been screaming in my car (lucky you), if you want to read on that is.
At the start of the season, I was an Orton guy. They would be CRAZY to start some rookie who could run but not throw, I said! In fact, if he did start it would signal the end of the season for the Broncos. When they had reached the breaking point at 1 and 3 with Orton showing no signs of life, I was ready for Tebow. Mostly because I was going with the suck for Luck strategy. Then a strange thing happened... they started winning. Albeit in crazy ways, they were winning. And because they were winning and in the ultimately mediocre AFC west-- they won the division. The rest you know.
So, let's look at the season. In the games that Tebow started they got smoked/killed/destroyed by 18 to 35 points in four games. These are TEAM losses. When you get beat by that many points, it's never one guys fault, even the QB. Tebow would have had to channel his inner Elway to win those games (obviously, he is not Elway). They have improved on defense, special teams, o-line, etc... but remember this team was 4-12 last year. They drafted SECOND last year... they were the SECOND worst team in the league last year! So, they don't suddenly have a juggernaut team EXCEPT for Tebow. They have improved personnel and scheme thanks to John Fox and Elway. Improved enough to make some games close, but when faced with a superior team... they were unable to keep things close.
This is my main point and why I am excited about next year and beyond. In the 8 games that they won under Tebow this year, 7 games were decided by fewer than 7 points. In all of those games at the end, there came a point when the QB had to make a play to keep a drive going/score a touchdown/make a first down. Sometimes the QB had to make multiple plays... to score enough points to win the game. Sometimes he did it with his legs and sometimes with the pass... but you know what? he did it. In fact the only time he didn't do it was against the Chiefs at the end of the year. That's the only game that they lost that he could have made a play to win it and he wasnt able to do it. That's successful in those situations 8 out of 9 times this year. That's 89% of the time.
Let's compare... In his 2 long years in Denver, Orton was 4 and 6 in close games decided by 7 points or less. In 2009, he was 3 and 2, and in the forgettable 2010, he was 1 and 4. That's 40% wins in close games. Jay Cutler in 2006 season in the 4 games that he started was 1 and 2 in close games (7 points or less), in 2007 he was 2 and 2, and in 2008 he was 6 and 2 (although one of these games was the infamous Ed Hochuli bad call game that gave the game to Broncos). So, overall that's 9 and 6 for the wunderkid from Santa Claus,IN or 60% wins.
So when the game is on the line, out of the last 3 QB's in Denver, I think we have the right guy.
The other point is... the Broncos don't really have an alternative. Look at the list of free agent QB's this year. http://www.footballsfuture.com/freeagents.html The list is not too promising. If somehow, you could get the #1 draft pick from Indy... I would say I am all in with A. Luck. I don't think that is possible. As far as all the others in this year's draft, I wouldn't mortgage the future for them.
No Doubt the team and the QB needs to be better to compete with Green Bay, New England, New Orleans, etc. I think the only choice is building your team and seeing if the QB can grow too! Give him a chance, I say!
Oh and if you have something against him building hospitals in the philippines... then the problem is not with him.
