Please Hire Tim Tebow - Week 5

Good morning! It's October 7th, 2013 or, as Jacksonville Jaguar fans think if it, another day closer to proof that David Caldwell is the Antichrist.

Week 5 of the 2013 NFL season is nigh in the books and my favorite quarterback - who many believe is not really an NFL quarterback - is still unemployed. To be fair, playing quarterback in the NFL is not for the faint of heart. It's easy to go from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, in the span of a week sometimes.

Last week, Josh Freeman, this season's "What in the world happened to him?" poster boy was in the midst of being unceremoniously dumped by my hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Freeman's situation had been building for some time and while it felt a little uncomfortable, not too many would argue that it was time for a change in Tampa. There are two sides to every story and it may just be a case of the Bucs not being into Josh anymore. However, it seems young Mr. Freeman has received a nice golden parachute in the form of a 1-year, $3 million deal with the Vikings. Meanwhile, the Bucs had the weekend off, hopefully spending a great deal of time working with backups Mike Glennon and Dan Orlovsky. Or, as is my fervent wish, preparing the announcement that will be made during Bucs coach Greg Schiano's press conference (1:30 pm CDT) today regarding Tim Tebow being signed to the club.

Yay! No more Creamsicle Sundays!

As a lifelong Bucs fan, I would dearly love to see Tim Tebow in the red and pewter - or even the creamsickle - of Tampa Bay. But there may be teams in even greater need of an inspirational quarterback after this weekend.

The poster team for Give us Tebow is the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags traveled to St. Louis to battle the previously 1-3 Rams. This definitely looked like a game that Jacksonville could steal. An early 67-yard TD off of a short pass from Blaine Gabbert to Justin Blackmon had us all going. But the rest of the first half unfolded pretty much to script as St. Louis outscored Jacksonville 24-3 the rest of the way, talking a 14-point lead into the locker room at halftime. A late drive by Chad Henne - in for the injured (again) Gabbert - closed the gap but St. Louis responded and, well, oh and five for the Jaguars.

On Friday of last week there were rumors flying that the Jags were going to give Tebow a look. But Caldwell, the Jaguar's version of Captain Queeg, is holding firm. Heck, even Stephen A. Smith over at ESPN has said that the Jags should sign Tebow - and he thinks Tim is a terrible QB!

I think Tebow can do better...

So, if not the Bucs or Jags, then who?

Previous blogs on this subject highlighted the shortcomings of all the quarterbacks in Tampa and Jacksonville, but I've also called out a few other folks as potential Tebow landing zones.

• Minnesota Vikings: Despite their struggles, the Vikes have brought in Freeman from Tampa Bay to round out the competition between Ponder and Cassel for QB. Good luck with that.
• Arizona Cardinals: I had previously called out the Cards and their itinerant veteran Carson Palmer. Save some unrealized expectations in Cincinnati, Palmer - one of the train of QBs out of USC in recent years - has just never lived up to his expectations. But yesterday, Arizona laid it on Carolina 22-6. Not that Palmer lit it up; but a win takes the heat off a little. 
• Detroit Lions: Now here's a new entry. Matthew Stafford, the strong-armed Lion's QB out of Georgia, continues to frustrate Detroit football fans. I really don't think that they would be willing to kick Stafford to the curb but after a decent performance with a TD and no interceptions against division rival Green Bay yesterday, the Lion's still lost. 

With the season almost a third complete, the options are narrowing. Despite shoddy results by the Giants, Dolphins, and Carolina, I don't see their quarterbacks going anywhere. It's coming down to a two-horse race at this stage of the season: Jacksonville or Tampa Bay?

My heart hopes that the Glazer family rolls the dice and brings Tebow in to fire up the Buccaneer faithful. But my head says Caldwell will eventually cave and Tebow will be offered a shot with the Jaguars. 

It could happen!

What do you think?

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Please Hire Tim Tebow - Week 4

We are nearly 25% of the way through the NFL regular season and Tim Tebow is still unemployed despite some, frankly, horrendous quarterback play across the league. Since it likely wouldn't cost team coffers much to bring in Tebow, what can we assume is the reason he isn't getting any calls?

Poll Question: Why is Tim Tebow not on an NFL roster?

A. His lack of skill at the quarterback position
B. The right team hasn't contacted him
C. Coaches don't want to go through an offensive restructure this deep into their seasons
D. Team owners and GMs don't want to endure the hurricane of "I told you so's" that would come with Tebow being successful

I'm not some pie-in-the-sky Tebow drone who overlooks the challenges that come along with bringing in Tim Tebow. There are issues dealing with the press, there are locker room dynamics to consider, and of course the unreal fan expectations (you know who you are Jaguar's fans). And that's all before Mr. Tebow even puts on the pads. But every player in the league has those issues to a greater or lesser degree; Tim just has more of them because of the way NFL fans have polarized over his playing ability and intangibles.

Let's look at a few quick numbers; Tebow's lifetime quarterback rating in the NFL is an admittedly anemic 75.3 according to ESPN. Here are some similar numbers from players starting for NFL teams today (or who have started this year and are still getting paid):

1. Blaine Gabbert (Jacksonville Jaguars - starter): With a rating of 30.7 I'm not sure how the Jags can still justify paying this guy. No offense to Mr. Gabbert but a quick glance at Tebow's stats makes him look like Peyton Manning compared to the zero touchdowns, five interceptions and ten sacks that highlight Gabbert's resume so far this season.
2. Chad Henne (Jacksonville Jaguars - backup): Chad more than doubles his teammate's quarterback rating with a still-sad 68.8. But Mr. Henne's one TD against two interceptions and eight sacks doesn't cry out for a change from within.
3. Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers - ex-starter): Freeman has fallen from grace faster than you can say, "Satan," in your best Church Lady voice. Once a lock on the quarterback position in Tampa, I have no idea what happened to Josh this year. There was some speculation over the weekend that he may be struggling with some sort of substance abuse but there were no facts presented to back that up. Tebow is a great example of how a player's performance can suffer when they don't have the backing of the team...so maybe Freeman just lost his coach's confidence. Whatever the reason, and despite a fairly decent supporting cast, Freeman has only thrown two touchdowns and has been picked off three times while being sacked seven. His rating this year (to date) is 59.3 - not good.
4. Mike Glennon (Tampa Bay Buccaneers - ex-backup): Don't worry Bucs fans! We've got Mike Glennon ready to step in and take over. Not. I've never even heard of Mike Glennon before Freeman was benched. But the guy that's been in camp and at practice every day learning coach Schiano's system? He stepped in this weekend and threw two interceptions against a single TD and was also sacked twice. His rating? 55.7.

It's disheartening to see all four of those poor-performing quarterbacks playing for Florida teams. But as I've noted before, Tim Tebow is from Jacksonville. he played his high school ball there. Everyone knows the rest of the story, from the jump pass that jump started his Florida career, to the Heisman, and a slew of school and SEC records, Tebow has proven himself to be a winner.

Couldn't happen to a nicer opponent...

Look, I'm not trying to relive Tebow's glory days at Florida. I've said before that I know where Tim's faults lie - everyone does. He has trouble reading defensive progressions, he struggles with the short drop and quick throws favored by NFL offenses, he has still not repaired his loopy throwing motion. But Tim also has some excellent qualities that offset the bad: His heart is second to none, he works as hard as anyone on the team, he is very mobile and can beat you with his legs, his long ball accuracy is very good.

In addition to the players highlighted above, there are a number of quarterbacks struggling this year with sub-70 ratings. Christian Ponder (Vikings) has already been benched in favor of Matt Cassel. Carson Palmer (Cardinals) is throwing the heck out of the ball in Arizona - and running for his life. Palmer's rating of 69.8 isn't helped by throwing only four touchdowns against six interceptions and suffering ten sacks. I keep hearing that Geno Smith (Jets) is making progress but he's been sacked fourteen times - and he's supposed to be shifty - while being picked off eight times against only four TDs (rating: 68.6). Joe Flacco (Ravens) and Eli Manning (Giants) are also under 70 for their quarterback rating this year but I would expect them to rebound. The other guys? Not so much. 

So what do all these quarterbacks have in common? They are playing poorly and their teams are losing. Flacco and Manning aside (because their teams have recently won Super Bowls), the rest play for teams that have done little or nothing for years. Why wouldn't ownership take a chance on Tebow?

Heck, Big Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked fifteen times in four games and we all know Ben is not the most mobile guy on the field anymore. Despite that, his rating so far this season is 84.2 and he's even with five TDs and five interceptions. But the Steelers are 0-4 and occupy the bottom of the AFC North division, behind the Ravens, Cleveland and Cincinnati. 

Are the Steelers in the Prison League this season?

I doubt seriously the Steelers are going to part with Big Ben. Although they have only scored 61 points so far this season (15.25 points per game) the Steeler's big problems appear to be on defense not offense, letting their opponents score 110 (27.5 ppg). But as for those other guys? As ESPN says on Monday Night Football, "Come on, Man!"

Someone in Jacksonville wants Tebow...

As the flying banner above attests (flown over the stadium during this weekend's shellacking of the Jags at the hands of the Colts) it's Tebow Time in Jacksonville or even possibly Tampa. Make a move.

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Please Hire Tim Tebow - Week 3

Week three of the 2013 NFL season is nearly in the books and Tim Tebow remains unemployed. Despite intriguing offers from Satan's own Arena League team in LA and a (ba) bush (ka) league team in Moscow, my favorite Florida Gator is still riding the ultimate quarterback pine.

So what would-be opportunities are out there this week for Mr. Tebow despite all the haters? Week three was just another great example of why I shouldn't play Fantasy Football. I am consoling myself with the fact that I never play in paid leagues. I have an aversion to funding other people's good times when I'm being kicked like a Ray Finkle field goal attempt.

LACES OUT!

Over the first couple of weeks this season, there have been some pretty clear front-runners in the Tim Tebow sweepstakes. Let's take a look at whether those franchises should continue to have Tebow's agent on speed dial...

Jacksonville Jaguars:

The hags...I'm sorry...the Jags travelled north by northwest to play in the new 12th Man kingdom known as Centurylink Field. I know this stadium more from watching the Seattle Sounders MLS team but it's every bit as hostile toward opposing NFL franchises when the Seahawks are in town. This game went pretty much according to script. Backup QB Chad Henne had an even worse day than last week with a sub-50% completion percentage and two interceptions. Chad did manage to recover his own fumble but was also sacked four times. Jacksonville eked out a late score on a Jones-Drew 2-yard carry but that didn't take the sting out of the final score: 45-17 Seahawks.

Shhh! Don't tell anyone but we want Tebow!

Oakland Raiders:

A number of people disagree with me on this one. The Raiders play Peyton Manning and the Denver TD Passes, er, I mean Broncos, tonight. We'll have to wait and see how they do. Oakland still has Terrelle Pryor managing their meager offense but I guess if they keep winning...

Cleveland Browns:

What in the world? With the week's most amazing player personnel move in trading Trent Richardson to the Colts, the Cleveland Browns had become the first team entered into the 2014 NFL Overall First Draft Pick sweepstakes. Cleveland had so much as announced, "We give up!"

Apparently no one told Brian Hoyer and Jordan Cameron, who combined for three touchdowns, including the game winner with 51 seconds left. While that throws a monkey wrench in my Tebow to Cleveland campaign, it definitely creates a new entry on the potential candidate list.

Minnesota Vikings:

Christian Ponder may not be the cause of the Vikings starting 0-3 this year but when Minnesota scores three rushing touchdowns and two of them are by Ponder...something isn't quite right. Tebow may not be the answer as long as Ponder continues to run for his life, but the former Purple People Eaters bear some watching.

Teams you would have previously thought were as far from even thinking about Tim Tebow as the Sun is from the Earth...

New York Giants:

What the what? Who has the most Super Bowl MVP trophies in the last six years? If you said Eli Manning, go to the head of the class. The Giants are 0-3 and if no one is panicking in New York yet, it may start getting a little jittery in the Big Apple very soon. New York is extremely impatient with its sports teams and is the poster sports city for the, "What have you won for us lately?" mentality. Manning can't all of a sudden begin to stink overnight, but he is 32 and he has more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (5) in this young season and has been sacked 11 times. How sweet would it be for Tebow to return to New York and lead the G-Men to the playoffs? Take that J-E-T-S Jets!

Washington Redskins:

Robert Griffin III was supposed to be the next big thing in the NFL. Washington banked everything on his amazing skills. Supposedly he was (and is) everything Tebow isn't - basically someone with all the running skills of Tebow but who could actually - and accurately - throw the rock. Griffin's numbers aren't as startling as Manning's, but the 'Skins are also 0-3 and with RGIII coming off major, major knee surgery, his issues could be just  rust and having to work his way back into football shape, getting re-acclimated to the speed of the game. Still...

The worst of the rest:

It could happen...

There are a couple of other 0-3 teams out there who never would've entered the Tebow discussion a few weeks ago: The Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I honestly see no way Big Ben Roethlisberger gets pulled in Pittsburgh but I could totally see Tebow being given a shot in Tampa. It would be a friendly environment, being just down the road from Gainesville, and in Greg Schiano they have an ex-college coach who has shown a flair for the unusual since coming to the NFL. Despite the fact that Schiano endorsed Josh Freeman today as his QB, if Freeman continues to post the big L, who knows?

I still believe Jacksonville makes the most sense for Tebow. It would ostensibly show the fans that the team has not completely given up on the season, or them. But as a long-time resident of Tampa who endured the bad old days from the get-go in 1976, I'd love to see Tim come to town.

What do you think?

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