MATT VASILAKOS
Ignore the fact that the Saints were fined $500,000 for their bounty system. Ignore that Sean Payton is suspended next season. Ignore that the organization lost its draft picks for the next two years.
All of those facts are irrelevant, as my blessed New York Jets have acquired a savior. A divine prophet sent from above, who will lead us from bounty temptations, who will deliver the Jets from evil. And most importantly, who will lift us upon his divine wings to a heavenly Super Bowl victory.
I’m talking, of course, about Timothy Richard Tebow.
When I first heard the Jets were in the running for Tebow (pun intended), I was ecstatic, which is strange, because I wasn’t originally a Tebow fan. I never bought into Tebowmania, and I was a big detractor during his 8-5 run as a starter. I agreed with the legendary Brian Urlacher: Tebow is more akin to a running back than a quarterback.
However, since the NFL season ended, I’ve been playing a lot of Madden 12. And ever since giving the Denver Broncos a shot, I’ve loved running the wildcat. And I’ve especially loved scrambling with Tebow. Weighing in at 236 pounds, Tebow is the great combination of speed and mass. He has the strength to power through the line and is great at following blocks. Yet Tebow is still agile enough to run the ball outside quickly and effectively, a skill he utilized throughout the season (including a certain 20-yard game-winning touchdown run against a certain New York team in the last minute of play).
Tim Tebow fills the gaping hole that Brad Smith left in the Jets offense last year. Brad Smith, the quarterback/running back/wide receiver extraordinaire, was an unassuming yet valuable playmaker for the Jets. While not a workhorse like Shonn Greene or a flashy player like Santonio Holmes, Smith’s ability to run the wildcat, along with his boundless versatility on the field, made him a priceless player for the offense.
The Jets coaching staff, in its infinite wisdom, let Smith sign with the Buffalo Bills last year. They then watched in dismay as we fumbled countless kickoff and punt returns, showcased an uninspiring run game and struggled for wide receiver depth. Tim Tebow can be our Brad Smith. While he isn’t a receiver, he proved in Denver that he could run an incredible wildcat.
And let’s not forget, believe it or not, Tebow is a quarterback too! While his quarterback stats are fairly unimpressive, Tebow has been in the NFL for merely two seasons, and has already led the Broncos to a divisional playoff game. In addition, Tebow has only started 16 games in his career. It is my firm belief that Tebow will improve in the traditional quarterback sense, making him a very potent dual threat in the near future. The acquisition of Tebow also puts pressure on Mark Sanchez to actually perform, since New York fans will be crying for salvation if Sanchez starts slacking.
And finally, Tebow adds some class to an organization that’s been lacking it. When a roster features convicted criminals, something, somewhere along the line, has gone wrong. Tebow simply doesn’t fit the archetype of a troublemaker off the field.
KYLE ROSS
Last season, the Denver Broncos gave birth to one of the most exciting and unexpected phenomena in NFL history — “Tebowmania.”
But even with an 8-5 record as a starter for the Broncos last season, he had a 46.5 completion percentage, a league-worst. The numbers just didn’t seem to add up.
This past Tuesday, the Broncos signed one of the most highly regarded free agents in NFL history since Peyton Manning. This decision put Tebow back into the position he was in one year ago — a backup. Except this time around, he brings a nation of loud fans.
The Jets lacked excitement, wins and a cordial locker room. With this combination, fans look for firings, releases and new additions. The Jets haven’t made a splash in the free agent market, except re-signing quarterback Mark Sanchez — not the most popular guy in the locker room — to a three-year extension.
Bringing in a player like Tebow to a team that is disconnected and fragile could ultimately be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Trading for Tim Tebow, arguably the most popular player in the NFL, as Sanchez’s backup puts even more pressure on him than he already had following the contract extension. Jets fans will be all over Sanchez the first time he throws an interception — and they won’t have to wait long.
Cornerback Antonio Cromartie publicly showed no desire for the team to acquire Tebow with posts on Twitter. Assuming Cromartie is not the only player on the team that doesn’t want someone like Tebow coming onto the team, the locker room is going to be further split, and this time it could reach a point beyond repair.
Tim Tebow is an all-pro person, but not a great quarterback and definitely not the player the Jets need.
Tebow thrives in an option offense that revolves around the running game. The Jets have tried to utilize this type of wildcat offense, but never had the personnel to do so. Now that Tebow is on the Jets, many believe that this type of offense can be run effectively. This just isn’t the case.
The best offenses in the NFL, year in and year out, are the offenses that throw the ball efficiently and effectively. Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers all put their teams on an elite level because of what they can do in the air.
Teams like the Miami Dolphins had the personnel for years to effectively run the wildcat offense, and struggled mightily. This type of offense will not work in the NFL. Period.
So where does this leave Tebow?
The minute he steps foot in New York, he is going to split the team, cause the fans to be breathing down Sanchez’s neck on every play, further complicate the organization’s future plans and be the main part of an offense that isn’t going to work.
The best part about this Tebow-hysteria is that he has done absolutely nothing wrong. He has played football, won games and been a model citizen. This is how he is repaid:
A column about how he will single-handedly destroy a franchise.