Ed Werder of ESPN is reporting that the New England Patriots are will sign former Denver Broncos and New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow, and that he will report to mini camp on Tuesday.
This is a very unexpected move, but it tells us one thing: Tebow has given up starting at quarterback and is ready to fully commit to contributing on the football field in other ways. Or at least so we'd think.
With future Hall of Famer Tom Brady still near the prime of his career, and the young 25-year old Ryan Mallett backing him up, Tebow would be at the very bottom of the quarterback depth chart. There isn't even a question as to whether or not he could compete during mini camp and training camp. He will not even be close to Brady or Mallett.
Which clearly means genius head coach Bill Belichick will utilize Tebow's 6'3"/240 pound frame and skill set in various other forms on the field. While I don't think Bill would ever take Brady off the field in order to run the wildcat formation, he still could see the field on offense in certain packages.
All NFL followers are well-aware of Belichick's love for tight ends, and Tebow has the size to play the position. He could also sit behind Aaron Hernandez as New England's H-back. Over the years, Bill has had plenty of secret weapons on third downs, including guys such as Danny Woodhead, Julian Edelman, Kevin Faulk and Hernandez coming out of the backfield. With Woodhead leaving for San Diego this off-season and Hernandez missing six games this past season due to injury, Tebow has the potential to turn into a short-yardage weapon for the Patriots if he develops his game in other areas this summer.
The Tebow signing sure is an intriguing one but if we learn anything from this, it's that Tebows NFL days are not over but his quarterbacking days may very well be. Lets just hope that New England is ready for the circus that comes with Timmy.
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Let me make this quick and to the point: Tim Tebow's best shot at NFL stardom, as a quarterback, is through the Arena Football League. Perhaps last chance, as well?
Say whatever you want about his track record as the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback in 2010 and '11, but Tebow's chance at becoming a starting quarterback again in the National Football League is quickly dwindling.
At this point, after a failed 2012 campaign with the New York Jets, Timmy has two ways he could go about this: 1) give up on trying to become an NFL starting quarterback and admit that he may be better off switching positions if he wants another gig in the league or 2) stick with the quarterback position and sign a deal with an Arena League team.
There are plenty of teams willing to give him a deal if he chooses the latter of the two options. In fact, the Philadelphia Soul is the most recent AFL team to reach out to the newly unemployed Tebow about a job. The franchise's owner, former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski, even sent him a package of plays that he'd be used in. That's showing some initiative.
Lately the Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be the only NFL team that would be possible fits for Tebow to become quarterback for, and the team's new owner has already publicly announced that he has no interest in the former University of Florida Heisman winner. Tebow appears set on sticking with his current position and, frankly, why wouldn't he? He's been playing quarterback most of his life, he led the Florida Gators to two National Championships as the signal caller and led John Elway's Broncos to a 2011-12 AFC Wild Card victory over the heavily-favored Pittsburgh Steelers.
That being said, I am among the majority when I say that Tebow's passing skills are not up to par with that of elite QBs in the NFL at this moment in time. Though he's worked on improving his mechanics, his throwing motion is still too long and his accuracy is erratic. His 10-7 record and 75.5 QB rating shows me that he has the game management and leadership skills to lead his team to victories, but the circus he brings with him scares off potential NFL suitors. Especially after his 2012 season in New York. Just too many distractions within the locker room, and he didn't appear to earn the respect needed from his Jets teammates.
The limited number of teams in the league that have expressed interest in his services, are not after his quarterbacking services. Rather, they'd like to use him in a variety of other packages and could possibly switch him to tight end or fullback.
But here's what the Arena league can offer him: a chance to develop his mechanics and transform himself into more of a pocket passer. Arena league fields are much smaller (50 yards long, 85 feet wide with eight-yard end zones), and the game itself has little running plays. With much faster-paced, passing-oriented games, Tebow will get acclimated with three and five-step dropbacks. He'll be forced to get the ball out of his hands much quicker as well, which is something else Tebow's game tends to lack.
Arguments have been made that the Canadian Football League would be another option for Timmy to take his talents to, but I would have to disagree with that statement if he would like to make his way back to the NFL. If he heads north to the CFL, he'll most likely have a harder time re-adjusting to the NFL should he make a re-appearance in the future. With the Arena League, he'll have tighter windows to throw in, meaning that if he can complete passes and throw touchdowns for an AFL team he will have no problem going back to hitting wideouts in stride on a much wider National Football League field.
As for the CFL, it's similar to the AFL in terms of relying heavily on the passing game. The only trouble with this is that the Canadian League's fields are 110 yards in length (with 20-yard end zones) and 65 yards in width, compared with the NFL's 100yd/10-yd/53.5-yd dimensions. Huge difference if you're a quarterback switching league's and adjusting to the style of play.
Normally you would think it would be a minor adjustment for a trained professional, but considering Tebow is looking to further improve on his mechanics and pocket presence it could just prove to be an un-needed distraction.
Either way, I believe these are the two most viable options for Tebow if he plans on becoming a star NFL quarterback one day. Then again, the AFL option could be a hit-or-miss opportunity. A superb stint with an Arena League team could help his NFL stock tremendously, but if his AFL stint ends with a train wreck similar to his New York escapades then he may further damage his reputation around the league.
So if he plans on sticking with his current position in the NFL, it would be well worth the risk of temporarily leaving the league to improve his mechanics and pocket-passing abilities out of the spotlight. And lets face it, a Tim Tebow AFL signing would rack in plenty of money for the respective team that happens to land him and may even bring in a few sold out crowds to Arenas all over.
Sounds like a winning situation for everyone. Tebow gets his shot at remaining a quarterback while working on his craft, his team earns whatever money Tebow fans bring them (and possibly a few wins), and the NFL can finally get away from the Tebow circus that was 2012.
Hopefully one day Tebow can finally prove myself––and all of his other critics––wrong and become an elite, Super Bowl-winning quarterback. One day.
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Despite still being four months away from the kick-off to the 2013 NFL regular season, which is set for Thursday September 5 in Denver, we're still seeing plenty of drama around the league.
The beginning of May usually revolves around the aftermath of the NFL draft, but this year we're seeing a little bit of side-drama. No surprise, of course, that it revolves around the New York Jets. Oh, and Tim Tebow. You'd think that we'd be used to this by now.
Jets Release Tebow; Tim Receives Numerous Other Job Offers
The news of the release of New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow a week ago comes as no surprise, but what may come as a bit of a surprise is the fact that he's already received a variety of different job offers. None of which have come from NFL teams.
Among the offers, whether serious offers or not, are the Canadian Football League and the Lingerie Football League (believe it or not).
The CFL's Montreal Alouettes own the rights to Tebow, but if he were to agree on a contract with the Canadian League team, he'd have to compete for a backup quarterback spot. That doesn't exactly sound like something Tebow would be interested in. Not to mention, the CFL isn't the best fit for Tebow at the quarterback position.
Hall of Fame NFL and CFL QB Warren Moon may have said it best when he said Tebow wouldn't make it as a CFL quarterback. The fields are larger and the league relies more heavily on the passing game. He's not a pocket quarterback and would need to play somewhere where the offense can revolve around his play-making abilities, not just his arm. Tebow's inaccuracy would hurt him in the more pass-oriented Canadian Football League, so the CFL doesn't appear to be a viable option.
About a week ago, the Legends Football League (formerly the Lingerie Football League) offered Tebow a job as quarterbacks coach, according to a Yahoo! Sports report. Clearly that isn't a likely move for him, either, considering he wants to be on the football field, not the sidelines. At least not just yet.
So, it appears the only reasonable option for Tebow in 2013 would be a position change to stay in the NFL. There have been a couple of teams interested in Timmy as a tight end, so the question now is whether he'd be willing to change positions or not.
Okay, sorry. I am officially done with Tebow talk now.
NFC Scout on Geno Smith: "He's a spoiled, pampered brat"
Unfortunately we're not done with the New York Jets, however. Rookie quarterback Geno Smith out of West Virginia was projected to go in the top 10 or 15 by some draft experts in NYC. Instead, he fell out of the first round altogether and was selected by the Jets in the second round, No. 39 overall. It was reported that his maturity is what forced him to fall so hard, costing him approximately $3 million in salary.
Over a week following the draft, his maturity is still being questioned by an anonymous NFC scout:
He's going to have a tough time in New York. Right now he's coming off as a spoiled, pampered brat.
What made matters worse were additional reports that said Smith used his cell phone to send texts and check his Twitter feed during pre-draft meetings with NFL teams. If that doesn't force you out of the first round, I'm not sure what will. After hearing those reports, there's no reason he should have thrown a fit and threatened to go home after being skipped over in the first round, rather than returning to Radio City Music Hall for Day 2 of the draft. Luckily for him, he did end up returning the second night, but the fact that he almost didn't may have also hurt his stock.
Between the underachieving former first rounder out of USC, Mark Sanchez and the seemingly immature Geno Smith, it looks like the Jets will once again have a tough time on offense this season. Look for this to be head coach Rex Ryan's final season at the helm.
There's no typo in that headline. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has said that he's going for 2,500 rushing yards this season. Coming off his MVP performance of 2,097 yards, just nine shy of breaking Eric Dickerson's single-season record, Peterson thinks he can gain 400 more yards in 2013.
First off, if there's a running back in the game that can do it, it's Peterson. Second off, he was coming off ACL surgery and got off to a slow start in 2012 before breaking out for eight consecutive 100+ yard games.
But, all that being said, there's no way Peterson will manage to join the 2,500 club. Not this year, not ever. Sure, Peterson manages to break out for long runs despite opposing defenses stacking the box with eight guys in anticipation of the run. But with more and more emphasis on the passing game, Peterson won't get enough carries to break out for that many yards in 16 games.
He'd have to run for at least 150 yards every single week. Even for a robotic, freakishly-built runner like Peterson, that's near-impossible. The Vikings brought in some competition for quarterback Christian Ponder this season (former KC Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel) and drafted the young wideout Cordarrelle Patterson. Clearly Minnesota appears to be ready for a more effective passing game this season.
Sorry Adrian, but it'll be tough enough to pull off another 2,000 yard season in 2013. There's a reason why no runner has ever accomplished this feat twice in a career––it's tough to do. Makes for a great debate though.
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Analyzing the Week 7 divisional matchups - Part II. Take a look here to see Part I.
AFC EAST
Jets (3-3) at Patriots (3-3): Sunday October 21, 4:25pm EST
CBS
The AFC East has a 4-way tie for first
with each team, Dolphins, Patriots, Bills and Jets, all at 3-3 (notwithstanding tiebreakers). Even though
the Jets had some crucial injuries – shutdown corner Darrelle Revis
and veteran wide receiver Santonio Holmes, both out for the season –
they still find themselves in the hunt for the division lead. And in
spite of a somewhat shaky start with the receiving corps of Jeremy
Kerley and Stephen Hill, both now seem to be settling into their
respective roles. Along with receiver Chaz Schilens, all three will
need to take advantage of the Patriots injury-depleted secondary. Since the Patriots
have been good at stopping the run, expect running back Shonn Greene's production to be minimal, forcing quarterback Mark Sanchez and his receivers to exploit the Pats' rookie safeties. The Pats will also have to contend with any sub packages
using backup quarterback Tim Tebow.
Tom Brady heads the Patriots high-powered offense and they lead
the league in average total yards per game (445) and points per game
(31.3). The usually pass-happy Patriots have also added a very
effective run game this year. Perhaps the Jets biggest challenge though, will
be counteracting the Pats hurry-up, no huddle offense. The Pats have
successfully used it in keeping defenses guessing and off-balance,
and most of all, exhausted. To keep the game close, the Jets need to
contain wide receiver Wes Welker and the always dangerous tight end tandem of
Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Expect to see safeties Yeremiah
Bell and LaRon Landry helping corners Kyle Wilson and Antonio
Cromartie cover the tight ends. The Patriots, though, will use this
game to re-establish their supremacy in the AFC East.
Prediction: Jets 19 Patriots 41
AFC NORTH
Steelers (2-3) at Bengals (3-3): Sunday October 21, 8:20pm EST NBC
If any team has shown us the folly of
making preseason predictions, it is the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Currently sitting at 2-3 and 3rd in the division, the
Steelers will undoubtedly take this opportunity to turn their season around. But it will be no easy task as they are 0-3
on the road with all three losses coming after leading in the 4th
quarter. Another factor making their task difficult is the injuries they've suffered to key
personnel, especially on defense and their failure in jumpstarting a viable running game. Star running back Rashard
Mendenhall has only played in one full game due to injury and backups
Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer, who have also suffered injuries,
have not taken up the slack. With the Bengals ranking 2nd
in sacks with 20, Big Ben's skill of evading defenders and extending
the play will be tested. But if it's a case of an irresistible force
meeting an immovable object, my money's on the immovable object, Big
Ben.
The Bengals greatest offensive asset is
2nd year wide receiver A.J. Green. The Dalton-Green
connection has contributed to their averaging 282 passing yards per
game, good enough for 8th in the league. However,
quarterback Andy Dalton has been vulnerable when pressured, throwing
8 interceptions when blitz pressure is applied. Can the Steelers
defensive line keep enough pressure on Dalton to disrupt his flow and
force miscues? Both teams are struggling with the run. The Bengals
are 21st averaging 99 yards per game; while the Steelers
rank 31st averaging just 74. The game will be decided
by each quarterback's ability to connect with their respective
receivers: Dalton with Green and Andrew Hawkins and Big Ben with Mike
Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emanuel Sanders. Because of the injuries
to key Steelers, and the fact that those who are returning
this week may not be playing to full potential, here's my one
upset pick of the 6 division matchups this week (if picking the 2nd
place team over the 3rd place one can even be called an upset).
Prediction: Steelers 17 Bengals 23
Update: QB Ben Roethlisberger left
Thursday's practice early after sustaining an ankle injury. We will
have to stay tuned to see if this development will impact Sunday's
game.
NFC NORTH
Lions (2-3) at Bears (4-1): Monday October 19, 8:30pm EST on ESPN
To say that the Detroit Lions have
gotten off to a slow start is an understatement. Quarterback Matthew
Stafford, who threw for over 5,000 yards last year, has only 4
touchdowns to 5 interceptions through 5 games. Wide receiver Calvin
Johnson, who led the league in touchdown receptions for WRs last year
with 16, only has one so far. They face a stout Chicago defense that is
ranked No. 1 in defending the run, only allowing an average of 65
rushing yards per game. The Bears are also No. 1 in points allowed per
game with 14.2. The Lions' running game has gotten off to a slow start,
though back Mikel Leshoure, who missed the first two games of the
season, has given the Lions some spark at the position. Because of
their stalled running game, the Lions will rely heavily on the pass.
Bears' running back Matt Forte's big
play potential keeps defenses on their heels and opens up the passing
game. The Lions will have to keep pressure on quarterback Jay Cutler
to disrupt his connection with deep-threat wide receiver Brandon
Marshall. The key to the game will be how well the Bears' defense can
contain the Lions' receiving arsenal of Calvin Johnson, Nate
Burleson, Titus Young, and tight ends Brandon Pettigrew and Tony
Scheffler. With the Lions trying to get back in the hunt in the AFC
North, this will be a crucial game for both teams.
Prediction: Lions 21 Bears 23
Note: statistics quoted (exc. pts
per game) are rounded off for clarity Photo credit Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images North America
With training camps in full swing, the No. 1 thing on everyone's mind at this point is position battles. Every team experiences those battles throughout camp each year and, whether you realize it or not, camp is vital for many of the players.
Proven veterans often use two-a-days to get back in tip-top shape, but it's the young newcomers who take this opportunity to impress peers and coaching staff.
In Tim Tebow's case with the Jets, he's looking to win over the role as starting quarterback. The fifth overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft, 25-year old Mark Sanchez has underachieved in the eyes of New York fans and media throughout his first three seasons under center for New York.
Head coach Rex Ryan and New York's front office showed their confidence in Sanchez by signing him to a three-year ($20 million in guaranteed money) extension on March 9, despite numerous teammates coming out and criticizing Sanchez for having a "poor work ethic."
Twelve days later New York traded for Denver's quarterback Tim Tebow.
I don't expect Tebow to come close to winning over the starting job before September, and he has struggled throwing the ball so far during camp, but that does not mean he will not be competing for it anyways.
Here's the bottom line: New York brought in Tebow as an attempt to light a fire under Sanchez, and a possible 1-2 punch at the position. Ryan will be putting in a package of plays that will allow Tebow to see some playing time without starting at the quarterback position. Ryan has been quoted saying that Tebow is a great football player with improving throwing mechanics.
Tebow will be New York's "gadget" player and can play different positions, including H-back.
This will be the only time I address this issue throughout August: Sanchez is the starter in New York, and will be all season. If NY struggles early on, of course the fans will call for the benching of Sanchez. But if they were smart, they'd stick with Mark after throwing all that guaranteed money at him earlier this offseason.
Who has the edge: Mark Sanchez
Who wins the battle: Mark Sanchez
Stay tuned for more upcoming "Training Camp Battles to Watch"
Note: I do not own the above photo. Photo cred goes to the Washington Post.
The 20th Annual ESPY Awards aired last night and, naturally, were dominated by the National Football League. The ESPY Awards, for those uninformed, are the equivalent of a Grammy or an Emmy. It's the awards show that has been put on by ESPN since the year 1993.
We live in a country that is surrounded by football. It has become easily the biggest sport in the country, so it shouldn't have come as any sort of surprise that five of the major awards were handed out to NFL players/coaches or "moments."
This year is the 20th year since it was created and was hosted by actor Rob Riggle and I have included a 14 minute video of a few of his jokes from the program last night.
But, before you watch the video here's a rundown of the awards handed out to the NFL:
Record Breaking Performance: Drew Brees' 5,476 passing yards
This is a record that I think will be broken a couple more times, at least, with the way the NFL has been changing. Before the 2011 season, a quarterback has thrown for 5,000 yards in a single-season just twice (Dan Marino and Brees), but that number is now up to five (Marino, Brees twice, Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford).
Although I believe this record will not stand for very long, it's still a well-deserved victory for Brees when you take into consideration the fact that he broke Marino's record by nearly 400 yards.
Other nominees:
*Coach K, career wins
*Mariano Rivera, career saves
*Lexi Thompson, youngest LPGA Tour winner
Game of the Year: 49ers over Saints, NFC Divisional Playoff
You know it had to be good in order to edge out Game 6 of the MLB World Series. And it really was.
With 34 combined points and four lead changes in the fourth quarter alone, the 2011-12 cinderella team (well, almost) pulled off the improbable upset over Brees' Saints thanks to a late 14-yard TD throw and catch from Alex Smith to Vernon Davis. The touchdown turned emotional as Davis ran over and hugged coach Jim Harbaugh. That was the icing on the cake for San Francisco, advancing to the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants.
Other nominees:
*Mizzou at Kansas, CBB
*Rangers at Cardinals, WS Game 6
Best Moment: Tim Tebow's 80-yard GW touchdown pass in OT
No doubt it was a great moment, but I think there were a couple more deserving than this one (*ehem* last day of MLB regular season). But of course it was the finishing touch on a miraculous upset pulled off by Tebow's Denver squad that "stood no chance" against a defense of such gratitude–No. 1 overall Pittsburgh Steelers. Not to mention it was in the postseason and gave Denver the fastest overtime victory in history.
Ok, ok, fine. Tebow's moment deserved to be recognized with an ESPY. Congrats, Tebow. Enjoy it now, because I don't see it getting too much better since you joined the circus in New York.
Other nominees:
*Derek Jeter's 3,000 hit
*Last day of MLB Regular Season
*Bubba Watson's Masters win
Best Coach/Manager: Tom Coughlin, New York Giants
Considering that, yet again, Coughlin was forced to shut his critics up by beating out tough teams in the postseason and Super Bowl to prove to everyone he is a more than capable head coach, I'd say he's pretty deserving of this award.
Haven't people learned by now that Coughlin seems to be best when backed up against a wall? Early in the season he was on the cusp of being flogged by Giants fans and run out of town, but once February rolled around these same fans started praising him and practically crowned him king.
Just goes to show that you're only loved when you're winning.
Other nominees:
*Coach Calipari, Kentucky basketball
*Kim Mulkey, Women's Baylor basketball
*Patrick Murphy, Alabama softball
*Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat
*Darryl Sutter, LA Kings
Best Comeback: Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
This really was one for the books. In just 13 starts in two seasons prior to 2011, the No. 1 overall pick in 2009 had been less than stellar (19 TDs, 21 INTs, 3-10 record as starter). But this past season was a whole different story.
Stafford put up the fifth-most passing yards in NFL history (5,038) and a personal-best 41 TDs on his way to a record-season while leading Detroit back to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. With a little help from Calvin "Megatron" Johnson, Stafford put Detroit back on the radar...but this time, it was through the air that Detroit was making plays.
Going from starting three games one season due to a shoulder injury to a full 16 games the next season is a difficult enough task to accomplish as it is. But to not only accomplish that, but to pull a historically losing team out of the dark and into the light of the postseason? That is truly a noteworthy accomplishment.
Other nominees:
*Sidney Crosby, PIT C
*Johan Santana, NYM pitcher
*Maria Sharapova, women's tennis player
Best NFL Player: Aaron Rodgers, Packers quarterback
He was already voted the 2012 season's No. 1 player by NFL Network after posting a 15-1 record this past regular season in Green Bay. Now he receives an ESPY for his spectacular play under center.
What's next for Rodgers, another Super Bowl ring? Perhaps.
Other nominees:
*Drew Brees, Saints
*Rob Gronkowski, Patriots
*Calvin Johnson, Lions
*Terrell Suggs, Ravens
Best Male Collegiate Athlete: Robert Griffin III
Normally I wouldn't include this category on an NFL-based article. But, come on. We all knew this was coming. If RGIII didn't win it, then it likely would have been former Stanford Cardinal, now Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Andrew Luck.
Luck was the No. 1 overall pick, but it appears RGIII may get the last laugh as the flashy quarterback is awarded the ESPY over his counterpart Luck, in addition to three other deserving nominees.
We've all seen it–and if you haven't then you clearly haven't watched enough NFL games in your lifetime.
There are plenty of spiritual players around the league that made it a habit of taking a knee either before the game starts, or even to celebrate and say a few words to himself after a touchdown. Yet it seems that now any time a players sinks down to one knee he is simply "Tebowing."
As a life-long NFL follower, I would like to take this time to put an end to all of this talk. This has been going on long before Tim Tebow's days, even before his University of Florida playing days.
I am not questioning Mr. Tebow in any way, I would just like to get my point across: getting down on one knee and saying a prayer or two before, during or after a game is not just a Tebow thing. Just because a player doesn't make as big a deal out of religion as Tim does not mean he is not a religious person.
Prayer is a big part of the game, and always will be. It all starts in peewee and high school football when the coach will instruct all of the players to gather around in a circle, take a knee and holds hands while they say the Our Father or Hail Mary in the locker room prior to a game. If a player is badly injured on the field and is being taken out in an ambulance, more often than not both teams will gather around and pray while on the field.
I have watched Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger take a knee and say a few words to himself before games for at least a couple years now. I think the biggest difference is there aren't 10 cameras around him while he's doing it, unlike Tebow.
I have heard far too many fair-weather or casual fans say "oh, look! He's Tebowing" when a player takes a knee and it has started to bother me enough to force me to write this rant piece.
So please, I am begging you...next time you see a football player (of any level) taking a knee and saying a few words to himself, whether it be pre-game or during a TD celebration, please just let him pray in silence. No need to yell "HEY, he's TEBOWING!"
In fact, let's just do away with the term altogether. Maybe one day Tim will set records and win a Super Bowl, that way we can refer to "Tebowing" as the act of throwing touchdown passes. But who knows if we'll ever get to that point in time.
But for now, no more Tebowing.
Thank you,
An annoyed blogger
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Need proof? Here's plenty of hard evidence of the action below (I do not own any of the images)...
