As much as I couldn’t stand him for all of that exposure he was getting before he ever took a snap in the NFL, I have to say I’m pulling for Tim Tebow now. Nobody in the NFL was giving this guy much respect when he took over the Broncos saying his style won’t last in the NFL. I’d like to ask, why can’t an offense like this work in the NFL?
Pittsburgh stacked nine guys on the line and Denver ended up with 8 total yards in the first quarter…They dared Tebow to throw and he adjusted and he burned them over and over. What other NFL starter could lay 50 yard bombs right into a receiver’s hands consistently? Brees, Manning, Brady, Rodgers? Sure, and we know how good they are…but who else? No doubt, Tebow has flaws in his game, but he’s basically a half season starter. What other rookie quarterback led his team to a playoff victory this year? Andy Dalton lost to Houston and a third string quarterback. Cam Newton didn’t make the playoffs. Blaine Gabbert certainly didn’t come close to looking like a quarterback who could thrive in the NFL for a long time.
It’s not just what Tebow is doing, but it’s what Denver is doing that NFL coaching staffs needs to sit up and take notice. They could be changing the way the NFL looks at the quarterback position.
Guys like Tebow and Newton should have the ability to play outside the box (or in this case, the pocket). I even see a guy like Tavarus Jackson in Seattle who would do well in a scheme like Denver is running. Mike Vick in Philly needs to get in this type of offense.
There are plenty of quarterbacks in the NFL who can still play the position in the traditional manner, and Andrew Luck out of Stanford will be one of those quarterbacks. However, those pocket passers seem to be few and far between. But for guys like Tebow and quarterbacks like Robert Griffin III coming out of college, even Wisconsin’s quarterback Russell Wilson, they tend to be the norm for QBs in college and I believe they could thrive in an NFL offense where they run set plays designed to call their number. Guys like RG3 and Wilson also have the arm and accuracy to be successful in the NFL.
Instead of the NFL turning their nose up to something new and different, they need to embrace changes that seem to be coming to their game. With the addition of the spread offense and big, athletic and mobile quarterbacks in college, the way the game is being played is changing. More and more up and coming quarterbacks are not fitting into the NFL style.
Denver is the first team and if others are smart, they will begin looking at ways to utilize certain college quarterback’s abilities outside the pocket and in the run game. You may be watching the foundation of a new “Mile High” offense being created that could catch on if others are willing to take that chance.
