Please Hire Tim Tebow - Week 11

I'll be honest, I had no idea that we would be in week 11 of the 2013 NFL season and Tim Tebow would still not be a quarterback in the National Football League. I will have to concede that at this stage, it is unlikely at best that Mr. Tebow is going to be playing this season. In this week's blog, Let's take a look at quarterback play around the league with Tebow's Achilles' Heel - pass completion percentage - in mind. And while we're at it, let's not forget that pesky winning thing.

Packers lose to Giants: One of the early-season goats, Eli Manning, has quietly proven me prescient. After starting 0-6, the Giants (as I predicted) are now 4-6 and out of the NFC East basement. I think Manning's job is secure. I'm not so sure about Scott Tolzien though. Sure, he's just a placeholder until Aaron Rogers returns but look at the numbers: Tolzien was a stout 24 of 34 (better than 70%) for 339 yards with no sacks. But...there were those three interceptions, one of which I caught in the highlights. Video evidence showed Giant defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul reach up with his island-sized paws, snatch the ball out of the air, and lumber off into the end zone. Don't get me wrong, Eli isn't playing lights-out either...but he's winning.

Jason Pierre-Paul and the Giants are on the come-back trail...

Vikings lose to Seahawks: I've about given up trying to figure out what's happening in Minnesota. I still have a soft spot for the Vikings from way back before Tampa had the Buccaneers. What nickname would appeal to an 8-year-old boy more than The Purple People Eaters? On a day when Adrian Peterson was not the leading rusher for the Vikes, two of their three quarterbacks combined to complete a woeful 18 passes for 204 yards on 35 attempts. I didn't see the game but with Christian Ponder being intercepted twice, sacked twice, and fumbling twice (losing one), I can only imagine that's when the erstwhile people eaters called on backup Matt Cassels. He didn't fumble or get sacked but his lone TD pass came in garbage time and he did throw a pick as well. Beside the obvious question of where is Josh Freeman, one might ask, "Could 2014 be Tebow Time in the Twin Cities?"

AP and the Vikes went nowhere against the Seahawks...

Jaguars lose to Cardinals: I hope you're proud of me for not dog-piling the Jaguars this week. I waited until the third highlight to kick them while they're down. Chad Henne played the entire game and put up NFL caliber numbers: 27 of 42 for 255 yards and a score. And then...two interceptions, two sacks, and the Jags have their ninth loss of the season in ten games. Mr. Khan, can I give you the number of Tim Tebow's agent please?

Anyone got Tebow's home number?

Texans lose to Raiders: Who the heck is Matt McGloin? Whoever he is, he's backing up an injured Terrelle Pryor in Oakland and taking full advantage. Although not stratospheric, the rookie's 56% completion rate and 197 yards passing were buttressed by 3 touchdown passes. The Texans, who started the season as playoff favorites, are all over the map and nowhere is that more apparent than in the quarterback department. The once-steady Matt Schaub is not, and exciting backup Case Keenum has fallen back to Earth (Are you listening Mr. McGloin?). It's doubtful either of these teams make the playoffs. I wonder how Tebow would look in boots and a Stetson?

You could always go back to school and get your MBA...

I could go on but I think the point is, there are quarterbacks that the NFL standard bearers hold up as good quarterbacks who, frankly, aren't. Chad Henne has completed 61% of his passes this year...and you see how many games he has won. Matt Schaub has completed almost 63% of his passes this season...and the Texans have won twice. Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan, Tony Romo, Geno Smith, Sam Bradford...these are all starting quarterbacks in the NFL with pass completion percentages that are recognized as being decent. Every one of them is on a losing (or .500) team.

So if completion percentage is one of the key benchmarks in the decision to play a quarterback, where does winning come into play? Clearly, Tim Tebow's NFL completion percentage is not up to these standards but I would challenge that his winning percentage is...

Latest Intel: In between coordinating Philippine storm relief efforts through his Tim Tebow Foundation, reports also indicate that Mr. Tebow continues to work on his fitness and throwing mechanics, with the ex-Gator, Bronco, Jet, and Patriot spotted regularly at the USC campus.

Will Tebow suit up this year? Next year? What do you think?

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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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