4/29 Poll Results: Bring Tim Tebow to the Tennessee Titans!
Joshua Huffman
(I answered “(Michael Scott): NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Visit the 4/29 fan poll here).
Tennessee Titans fans don’t want Tim Tebow and his cult (following)—right?
Wrong.
Check out these results. Fans aren’t too concerned with what happened with the Denver Broncos and New York Jets. Of 190 respondents, 111 of them were in favor of adding Tebow to the roster. That’s 58.42 percent. Not only that, but 38.43 percent felt like he’d immediately become the No. 1 quarterback on the roster.
This puts my opinion in a vast minority. But that’s fine; I have no problem playing Devil’s advocate against Tebow and his followers. *Villainous laugh*
Let’s start with tearing apart the idea of Tebow becoming a starting quarterback for the Titans. That will never happen—nor should it.
Throughout American history, “Vince” has been the name of some incredibly gifted people. Let’s consider options from the 21st century. There’s Vince Carter, Vince Gil, Vince McMahon, Vince Neil, Vince Wilfork, Vince Young…
If you haven’t yet x’ed out of your browser following the mention of Vince Young, then maybe you’re unaware of who he was. From 2006-10, Young was a quarterback for the Titans. During those five seasons, Young had a 30-18 record (62.5 percent) as a starting quarterback. That’s better than Tebow, who has a 9-7 record (56.25 percent) as a starter. Totals include playoff win-loss records.
Like Tebow, Young was known for playing three-and-a-half quarters of unproductive football before he’d orchestrate a game-winning drive. Remember his 18-play, 99-yard masterpiece against the Arizona Cardinals? Go back to his title-clinching drive against USC in the 2006 BCS Championship. The stuff of legends.
Young and Tebow can manage victories against cupcakes, mediocre and above-average teams. They’re both clutch. But when they’re facing elite competition? Remember how those San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers teams whooped on Young? How about 41-23 and 45-10? Bill Belichick remembers.
Beating elite teams requires play-60, not play-3 with 59-yard desperation field-goal attempts to force overtime. No defense will continuously bail out their quarterback against teams in the upper echelon.
Signing Tim Tebow is the equivalent of Young joining the circus and bringing the whole act back to Nashville. Both players have a couple enormous weaknesses that will prevent them from becoming top-tier NFL quarterbacks. In Young’s case, it was his behavior and inability to mentally adapt to the pro game. For Tebow, it’s his overall ability as a passer and the media’s obsession to entertain his cult-like following. Who would put their franchise—and executive career—in those hands as a quarterback?
There’s an idea that Tebow can play fullback or tight end. At 6-3 and 236 pounds (ESPN), Tebow has the build for a severely undersized fullback. If Tebow could add mass, then maybe he makes a transition to tight end. Truthfully, Tebow would need to bulk up to about 250 pounds before attempting these transitions.
Here’s the thing: why would a team take that chance with all the intangibles that are associated with Tebow? What is there to suggest that he can consistently block or catch the football? As a project fullback or tight end, what makes him more appealing than an undrafted free agent who’s younger and has played that position for at least the last four years?
Have to put emotions aside when making these decisions. Management must put the best players on the field, not the nicest. Furthermore, they must consider how his presence would affect the rest of the team. Dealing with questions like “should your rotational fullback and punt coverage specialist replace Jake Locker as starting quarterback next week” after every off-game would get old quickly.
Did I mention that Tebow has a career completion percentage of 47.9?
An idea for a comeback tour: sign JaMarcus Russell, Young and Tebow. Create a package where you put all three of them in the backfield at the same time. Call this package “The Shield.” Use a lot of read-options. Opposing defenses have no answer. Everyone will have to “Believe in The Shield.” Sarcasm intended.
Fact is, management just ridded themselves of a “winner-labeled quarterback” about two-and-a-half years ago. They mustn’t put their fates in another one who’s enslaved to a circus. The front office made their bed (drafting Locker) and now they must sleep in it.
For better or worse, that’s exactly what they’ll do.