Tim Tebow and the Critics: Getting to the Bottom of the Mess

Just 119 passing attempts into his NFL career and the former Heisman-trophy-winning Florida Gator has created a divide in the football world. Analysts are lecturing analysts and former players are berating former players. Some football fans are unconvinced, while some believe they are seeing a legend in the making; and in six quarters under center this season, Tim Tebow has become the most interesting figure in sports… again.

We all know the negatives: he's unorthodox, his throwing mechanics are poor, and he has yet to learn how to read an NFL defense. Yes, in order to be consistent, it seems as if the second-year quarterback will have to face what most other young signal-callers must go through: an extensive learning process.

In a game-and-a-half this year, Tebow has led two extremely entertaining 4th quarter comebacks. The Broncos came up a little short in the first one against the Chargers, but on Sunday, they sealed the deal and sent the sports world into a frenzy. Some said the comebacks were sloppy and some attributed them to luck. Some gave all the credit in the victory over the Dolphins to Tebow, while others downplayed his involvement in the win. However, the truth of the matter is that Tebow has done something that some people simply can't explain: an 'overmatched' and ' inexperienced' quarterback, with the 'wrong' skill set, found a way to lead a comeback against an NFL defense for the second game in a row.

Sure, it took a team effort to win the game, but with Tebow's mobility, the defense was forced to make adjustments that wouldn't normally be made for the prototypical pocket passer. And while the first 55 minutes of the game were disastrous, in the final 5 minutes, John Fox was forced to abandon his conservative play-calling and do something he wasn't really comfortable with: turning #15 loose.

In a recent column by Phil Taylor published in Sports Illustrated, Doug Flutie explained how a running quarterback affects a defense and how that affect will ultimately help Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos find success:

"One of the things that happened for me was because of my athleticism and ability to run, a lot of defenses assigned a linebacker to shadow me. By doing that, it opened up our run game because there was one less linebacker to block. The same would be true for Tebow. I'll bet you that when he's in the game, the yards per carry will go up for the running backs. It's not just a coincidence that his teams seem to play better when he's on the field."

While it's definitely true that Tebow is going to change the way opposing defense's prepare for the Broncos, it's more likely that his 'intangibles', a winning-attitude and strong leadership, will be the main reason he is able to find success while he's learning to deal with a professional defense.

However, before the game on Sunday, former pro bowl wide receiver and current ESPN analyst, Cris Carter, discredited Tim's 'intangibles'.

"You don't win in the NFL with intangibles." Carter stated.

Carter further went on to explain why he felt Tebow was an inadequate quarterback. The outspoken analyst said that, because Tim is less accurate and takes longer to make decisions, he makes his receiver's job a lot more difficult. While this point may have some truth to it, there are three things that make Carter's criticsm flawed:

1. The majority of quarterbacks who have fewer than 200 passing attempts in their career make their receiver's job a lot more difficult.
2. As stated by Flutie, defenses must commit a linebacker to 'spy' a mobile quarterback in order to contain him. This opens up other areas of the offense and, in certain situations, could help a receiver get open.
3. With Tebow's ability to extend a play with his legs, he gives his receiver's more time to get open. And, the longer a quarterback stays on his feet, the better chance his receivers have to get separation from the coverage.

Carter is not the type to shy away from being overly critical, even when the criticism seems completely off-based. Prior to the start of the NFL season, Carter was asked to compare wide receiver Calvin Johnson to other elite receivers in the league. He said, "Calvin Johnson, he's very, very good at Madden and Tecmo Bowl or whatever they're playing now, but on film, when I watch film, and I break down the film, he's not to the point of these guys yet." This year, Calvin Johnson ranks among the top 5 receivers in the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns and is making the outspoken analyst second guess his comments.

...perhaps, in time, Tebow will, too.

The bottom line is, Tim Tebow made his 4th career start on Sunday. At this point, his success is going to depend on two things: repetitions against NFL defenses, and the willingness of John Fox to mold the Bronco's offense to fit his young quarterback's talents. And, whether or not you believe he will find success in the NFL, you have to admit that in his first two games this season, Tebow has done his part to put the Bronco's in a position to win. What else can you really ask of him?