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Published on 11/01/2011 at Tue Nov 01 10:19.
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Don’t blame Fox, Elway for Tebow’s struggles

Posted Tue Nov 1st by

Tim Tebow

Quarterback Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos walks off the field after a game against the Detroit Lions at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on October 30, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Lions defeated the Broncos 45-10. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

There is a growing notion among a subset of Denver Broncos fans that is requiring my attention. It’s a notion being spread by conspiracy theorists and Tim Tebow die-hards. This notion — this ridiculous, preposterous idea — is that John Fox and John Elway are either:

  • purposefully sabotaging Tim Tebow’s  success in a spiteful display of pride and desire for Andrew Luck OR
  • too uneducated and untalented to figure out a way to use Tim Tebow to his full potential.

Earth to the conspiracy theorists: maybe Tim Tebow just isn’t very good.

When you’re producing an other-wordly bad -109.4% DVOA in your first three quarters and a still-below average -1.8% in the fourth quarter, there’s not a lot your coaching staff can do to make better of this. But there’s evidence that Fox and offensive coordinator Mike McCoy are trying.

The Broncos have been trying to play to Tebow’s strengths. They have been lining up predominantly out of the shotgun and utilizing a spread offense in parts of Sunday’s game. They “revamped” their offense in one week, according to reports on Sunday, to bend to Tebow’s college style.

The critics say that, against Miami, the Broncos were too conservative. They clipped his playbook, and his wings, after a few bad plays, and he finally “broke free” in the fourth quarter when he could run the show.

The same critics say that, against Detroit, the Broncos were too aggressive. They didn’t give him enough time to warm up and get comfortable with some easy passes. They altered their formation after the first drive, and the offense stumbled.

Both argument have a facet of truth to them. But they hardly tell the whole tale. The Broncos are still trying to succeed with Tebow. If that wasn’t the case, he wouldn’t be starting this week.

Don’t blame John Fox for Tebow’s inaccurate throw in the red zone that was intercepted and returned 100 yards for a touchdown. Don’t blame John Elway for Tebow’s repeated tendency to look away from his receivers, dart his eyes at the pressure around him, and still manage to get sacked 13 times in two games.

Blame Tebow, and hope he gets better.

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  • Anonymous

    Great post Monty, I hope Tebow can get better, but how many more games do you  allow Tebow to be the starter if he continues to play like this?  If you yank him, do you put in Quinn?

  • Anonymous

    Yeah, I’m not holding out hope for Tebow to get better.  He was an average QB in college, and he’s proving to be even less in the NFL where teams normally cannot run the spread offense.  Yeah, yeah, I know. This was only his 5th start.  But I have seen other rookies make better throws that were average at best.  Hell, look at Jason Campbell before he had his injury.

  • Anonymous

    Bravo. 

  • Mergrath

    Yes, I want this guy to succeed but damn people…lets be realistic here! He may yet be just another example of just how much of a failure McD really was! And that pains me more than anything…our organization had an opportunity to make progress as a team with all of the picks that we garnered with unhappy players…yet we’ve gone backwards! ARGH!!!

    My observation is that Tebow gets two more games to show something (besides some late game heroics) before Quinn rightfully so gets his oportunity. Unfortunately I think that will just be yet another reminder of McFailure! We dont have “the” quarterback on this roster.

    Trust me, I hope I am terribly wrong and would gladly hit up the crow buffet if need be!

  • Anonymous

    The Broncos have too many needs and like others I was hoping Tebow would improve but if we get 2 more outings of the same EFX need to have a look at Quinn.  If EFX opt to not look at Quinn then I would say Tebow is playing for trade value.

  • http://Facebook.com/BroncosZone Jon
  • Bllkellerman

    It’s embarrassing to watch this guy run a obvious college play in the NFL, great guy possibly another position, but he is so far from a NFL quarterback, I’ve been a fan since 70’s and this is hard to watch.

  • Anonymous

    Ha! I knew I forgot something.

  • Anonymous

    So Grandpa was wrong…Hard work, never quitting, and a good attitude isn’t how you succeed…sad really.  Of course he always said you can’t polish a turd…maybe the old guy was right after all.  I hope something clicks with him, he really is a class act.

  • VinceMarine

    I more than anyone want Tebow to suceed however; he isn’t ready to be an NFL QB.  The lack of practice time this offseason really hurt his chances to suceed this year.  I’m not even sure that he will develop in a few years with more time under center in practice, on game days and in the off season.  With that being said, I don’t think we should try and trade him either.  I think he could turn into a nice HB, and still help this team win.  I love his passion and willingness to do anything to win.  That is something this team needs.

  • MN Broncos Guy

    Great points in this article, I get sick of hearing about the sabotage, Fox and Elway are financially incented to winning games.

    I do think we are jumping the gun here.  Tebow is not as horrible as the media is portraying.  I say we call for his head if he doesn’t improve in the next 2-3 games.  We are not chasing a wildcard spot…as crappy as that sounds.  Lets see if this guy can be our QB, we have time.

  • Gary

    You can’t put in Quinn.  If he plays a certain amount of snaps, the draft pick they have to give up goes up.  You can’t afford that at this point.  The Broncos need all the high picks they can get.  I would rather see Adam Weber.

  • Anonymous

    John Fox is one of the most stubborn uninventive head coaches in football period. He isn’t purposely sabotaging anyone, he just isn’t the right coach for Tebow. 

    That being said, Tebow hasn’t done anything with what Fox has given him to work with. Until he proves that he can throw 2 accurate balls in a row to 1 on 1 coverage when the box is stacked, nobody has any room to blame Fox’s game plan even if they don’t necessarily like it.

  • Hope

    Give Tim Tebow a break he had no off seson to prepare for the seson and this is only his fith start.I don’t know Tim tebow from Adem but he playes with heart and I belive that he will be a grate plaer one day.Just got to give the yung man a chance.

  • Hansen

    This nonsense about Timmy being sabotaged is complete rubbish.  That is elementary school level thinking.  And the replies using the wording, “he isn’t ready ‘right now'” is quite comical.  Any thought that he isn’t now, or ever?  Maybe he isn’t an NFL QB period.  So many people were,and still are, so enamored with Timmy, starting with McD, because they were mesmerized by him running around with his hair on fire in college.  He’s a gamer!  He has intangibles!  Meanwhile you have two guys last Saturday night who can make all the throws and are infinitely more ready right now, and they aren’t even Seniors. 

    Would it be great if he were to make marked improvement and show something?  Yes it would.  It would mean we potentially have our QB of the future and we can save a draft pick for another position.  But we would still need a good back since his style leads to injuries.  But, as it usually does, reality strikes and shows that Timmy isn’t an NFL QB.  Now, it would be interesting if Timmy uses his head, shows some humility and gives consideration to changing positions.  QB he isn’t, but a football player – now we’re talking. 

    Above all, and I tend to say regardless of what Timmy does, Elway wants a QB of his choosing.

  • Anonymous

    I think the whole team is sabotaging Tebow.  I’m pretty sure that when Champ was getting burned by Megatron he was thinking “this will really do that choir-boy in”.  It certainly couldn’t just be Tebow’s skills (or lack thereof).  

  • http://thingsatrexdoes.tumblr.com Mike Birtwistle

    And I bet the first person you’ll find in line to blame Tebow is Tim himself.  He doesn’t come across as the sort of person who will make excuses and that sort of attitude is welcome in today’s rent-a-quote world.

    But Elway will be picking up one of the top QBs this april.

  • Anonymous

    It was actually quite comical watching TJ’s segment on ESPN with John Elway talking about Tim Tebow.  He wanted no part of complimenting Tebow as a QB.  The best he can come up with is that Tebow is a heckuva football player.  

  • Virginiabronco

    How many screen passes OR slants did you see Sunday?  Wouldn’t a couple have helped slowed the pass rush?  How many games did Fox win last year? How supportive has Fox been of Tebow?  And did you listen to any of the former player’s comments and our very own John Lynch who stated several times during the game that it was up to coach Fox to put Tebow in a good position.  I guess Lynch and a whole host of football analysts are in the subset too.

    I don’t know anything about “conspiracy theorists” or sabotage but I know what I saw (for two games now) and I know the game plan is not playing to his strenghts.  I also know there isn’t a lot of talent lining up beside, in front, or behind Tebow to help support Tebow or any Denver QB for that matter.

    Its been two games.  2.  Just 2.  All that said, I conceded in an earlier posts that Tebow needs to be benched before he gets crippled so he can be traded for a 4th round pick next year.  He is not going to make it in Denver with this coaching staff and he may not make it at all. 

    There is simply no room at the Inn for Tebow in Denver.

  • Virginiabronco

    I agree with your first paragraph but other than the opportunity to play, I am not sure what Fox “has given him to work with.”

  • Hansen

    Tebow is a heckuva football player. 

  • Audi

    lol

  • and change

    Wel sed.

  • Audi

    Bud, he is bad.  He can’t hit a receiver to save his life.  That is not Fox’s fault.  As an NFL QB you have to make certain throws.  He can not.  The end.  No ones fault but Timmys.

  • Hansen

    Bingo – his game as a QB just doesn’t translate in the NFL world.

  • Anonymous

    Andy Dalton did not have an off season to prepare either.

  • Anonymous

    Not it has been 5 games chief as well as the preseason.  What part of the game plan is not playing to his strengths?  First it was too conservative and not letting him throw down field.  Now it is a lack of short passes.  He spent most of the game against the lions in the shotgun and still held the ball too long. 
    I heard the comments of both Reuben Droughns and Chad Brown who said he was not ready to play in the NFL. Apparently you had the ear plugs in when Lynch stated that Tebow had accuracy issues.
    Stop apologizing already.

  • SoCalBronco7

    Nobody in their right mind thinks that Elway and Fox are sabotaging Tebow’s chances. However, with all due respect to Monty, this post does exactly what 99% of the Tebow posts are doing: they are taking the focus away from the real problem. It is not about Tim Tebow but about our whole football team. THE BRONCOS ARE A BAD FOOTBALL TEAM IN BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL AND THE SIDELINES! 

    There is no denying that Tim Tebow is struggling big time. If you did not expect that, you live in a dream world and you do not follow the NFL. Everyone is asking the question: Is Tim Tebow going to be a successful NFL QB? Wrong question my friends. The right question is: Can Tim Tebow is his present state and development help the Broncos become a better team and lead them back to winning this year or next year? The answer is ABSOLUTELY NOT! 

    People are wondering if Tebow, Quinn, Orton, Luck, Barkley or Superman is the right QB for the Broncos. IT DOES NOT MATTER. There is not enough combination of talent and experience in front of the QB, on the sides, or behind him to help win football games. Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Breese, Peyton Manning in their first year will probably do better that Tebow but not by a lot. The Broncos with anyone of the above at the helm in their rookie year would have had the same record. ( I still think that if Tebow had started the Raiders and the Chargers game we would have at least one more win but it is irrelevant).

    We need to face the reality that it will take 2-3 years for the Broncos to become relevant again. It was completely evident last Sunday against Detroit and on the Green Bay game. Just stop for a second and evaluate the product we put on the field compared to the Lions:

    1) One of the best young QB’s who is getting more experienced and better every year vs a rookie QB with no experience learning the game with sub par talent around him and one of the all time worst offensive coordinators calling his plays and a glorified defensive coordinator for a Head Coach that has no clue how to help him.

    2) The best receiver in the NFL vs a receiver who played one game in a year and a half.

    3) A cohesive experienced offensive line vs an offensive line that cannot pass protect for 3 seconds unless the QB lines up in the punt formation!

    4) One of the best and nastiest pass rushing defensive lines in the NFL vs a line that if you take Von Miller out cannot get to the waterboy to get some water. 

    5) An impostor offensive coordinator that is so inept in his job it is really, really, really, really sad. I suggest that someone replaces the sound in his ear phones and feeds him the sound from the TV announcers. 99% of the time they call better plays than he does. (By the way, if they do not get rid of this guy nothing will help the Broncos offensively).

    The final score Sunday was reflective of all the above.

    It will be a long season for our Broncos my fellow Broncomaniacs. Get off the Tebow bashing and if your stomach cannot take the rest of the year please go for a hike on Sundays instead. Take a look in our schedule and see what we have lined up. It is ridiculously hard. The question is not “Will Tebow survive this year”? The question is: “Will you”?

  • Anonymous

    He’s had a lot of different chances to make plays and failed. He’s had a lot of open WR’s he’s missed. He’s missed reads. He’s missed timing. He’s had a lot that if done right, would have made the Broncos much more competitive on both sides of the ball. 

    The play calling itself may not be spectacular but it’s far from horrible and the WR’s are in 1 on 1 coverage on every play so Tebow “should” be able to get the ball delivered at least 50% of the time in the scenario no matter what the play called is.

  • Virginiabronco

    Lynch did say he has accuracy issues. He also said THE ENTIRE GAME about every 10 minutes, that Fox had to give him a game plan and adjust during the game that would allow him to succeed.  He was practically screaming at Fox to throw soem quick screens. Tebow has barely had a chance to work with the first team.   Palmer had accuracy issues in Oakland after sitting out the entire season year to date.  Manning has had accuracy issues this season in NY.  All that said, what part of bench him and trade him can’t you understand jd?  Time to look forward.  Who do you want next?  Quinn or another look at KO?

  • Anonymous

    Actually Mike, I think the camera crew used special lenses that made Timmy’s throws appear “off the mark” when in reality they were perfectly thrown spirals that hit the WR’s in stride.
    It’s become more and more obvious to me that Rupert Murdoch is behind this conspiracy but I just can’t place my finger on how he’s getting it done!

  • Anonymous

    that not vary nise

  • daTrufe

    Yall wanna Win? Put Quinn in

  • 12508

    How many games do you think it will take before he can make an NFL throw? Get a grip. Tebow is a nice guy and all that but he can qb in the NFL. I lay this at XANDERS feet. Josh is not here and xanders was in the room when they took Tebow. I’ve been telling you for two years this roster is a mess. Everyone wanted to believe it was ok. Clady,Doom,and This rookie class are the only players I would keep for sure. Everyone else can hit the road. Get some impact players in here.

  • Gbrider61

    There is no value….

  • SoCalBronco7
  • SoCalBronco7
  • SoCalBronco7
  • SoCalBronco7
  • Virginiabronco

    absolutely agree

  • Virginiabronco

    seems to me he made more than a few throws in that Miami comeback.  I agree we need to see more. 

  • Virginiabronco

    I was thinking the camera angles have a lot to do with the TV viewers perception of just how close the passes are to the receivers.  A lot of those passes should have been caught!  The camera angle made it appear they were off the mark.  Since it is a camera lense, it is the opposite of “objects in mirrow are closer than they appear”. 

  • Virginiabronco

    mirror

  • Audi

    That article is a joke.  Take away the prevent D completions and he has not been as good any ANY of the guys listed.  None of them!  His completion percentage is a joke if you back out the last few minutes of these games.  Everyone makes those passes.  Hell, even you could.  Garbage time TDs and completion are helping his numbers look ugly instead of downright laughable.  Watch a game already……

    Not sure when the apologist will just admit he is bad and move on.  90% of the Denver fans wanted him.  Me and few others thought you were nuts.  No matter how you spin the information or who you blame.  You were all wrong on this one.  Tebow is not an NFL QB.

  • Audi

    Horrible read.  Slanted crap.

  • Strawdog

    Monty, with a 4-12 team, and very little time taking first string reps, Tim Tebow is 2-3 as an NFL starter.  In his first NFL game he finished with a 100.5 passer rating, the highest ever in team history for a professional debut. Two weeks ago he led the Broncos to one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history.  He is an NFL quarterback.

    In the last game against Detroit, a dominant defense adjusted to him…took away everything he likes to do…and he got killed.  He was absolutely horrible.  Now we’ll see if he can adjust.    

    And, all the jock wannabees saying he can’t play have no say in this.  Succeed or fail…it’s Tim’s move.

  • areferee

    It’s Bill O’Reilly’s fault! All those passes were from the “No-Spin Zone”.

  • http://broncotalk.net Monty

    I’m not really replying to your comment (I see the sarcasm lol) other than to say, Champ Bailey loves Tim Tebow. The two are like the Odd Couple out in training camp practices. Veteran DB and rookie QB best friends.

    At least I got that impression in 2010, I wasn’t there this year.

  • SoCalBronco7

    The only crap is your reply

  • SoCalBronco7

    Again, the only joke here is you. You have made it very clear through your myopic posts that you do not like Tebow. That is your opinion and is pure junk. 

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