The polarizing Tim Tebow

With the Patriots set to visit the Broncos this weekend, it's got me thinking more about the league's most polarizing figure.  Tim Tebow has been one of the league's biggest stories this season after leading the Broncos to victory in 7 of their past 8 games since he took over as the starter and launching the team into first place in the AFC West.  There's no doubt that Tebow deserves much of the credit for changing the culture of that team, but it's how he's been doing it that has left many of us skeptical.

For starters, there is his unorthodox style.  Any football scout will tell you that Tebow's mechanics are a mess, which led many to doubt that he'd ever succeed as an NFL QB.  While Tebow has been proving the doubters wrong with every victory, he's also proving them right with his performance.  The Broncos have adapted their entire offense around Tebow, changing on the fly to accommodate his strengths.  Their strategy of pounding the ball with their running game to open up the occasional deep pass seems straight out of a High School playbook.  It's unfathomable that it could work in the pros, but Tebow somehow makes it work.

Naysayers will point to Tebow's putrid 48.5 completion percentage (worst among starters this season) as a sign that his QB skills are not up to par.  Watching him play, there are far too many occasions where he's so far off from hitting his target that you have to question where he was intending to throw it.  While his supporters will point out that he's only thrown two interceptions all season, others will counter with the fact that when he makes a bad throw it is so far off target that it lands harmlessly away from where anyone on the field could catch it.  True, he manages to make plays with his legs as well, scrambling for over 500 yards this season.  While his ability to take off and run the ball when a play breaks down has helped his team move the offense to extend drives, he tends to be overly reliant on his scrambling ability, often times looking to run before checking for a second or third passing option.

Despite his flaws as a passer, Tebow still manages to have an uncanny ability to lead game winning drives late in the game.  Three of the Broncos seven victories since Tebow took over have come in overtime, while three other victories in that span have been one score games that each ended with Tebow leading a scoring drive in the 4th quarter to put his team ahead.  He can play terribly for most of the game, but still manage to come through in the clutch.  That's the Broncos game plan - if the defense can keep the game close until the 4th quarter, then Tebow can take over.  Take their last game against Chicago for example.  Tebow completed only 3 of 16 passes for 45 yards through 3 quarters, by which time the Broncos trailed by 10 points.  Yet like a man possessed, he willed his team to victory by tallying 191 yards in the 4th quarter and overtime to seal the comeback.

Tebow's best asset is his personality.  He's overflowing with confidence and optimism.  He honestly believes that his team is going to win every game and that positive attitude has rubbed off on his teammates.  The Broncos were a losing team until Tebow convinced them that they are winners.  It's that kind of uncharted leadership ability that has lifted this team to another level.  He believes in himself and his teammates believe in him.

That belief also leads to another reason that has made Tebow such a polarizing figure in the league.  His religious beliefs have stirred up a bit of controversy since he entered the league.  It's not the fact that Tebow is religious or that he believes in God, as plenty of players in the league probably do.  It's more the in your face approach Tebow takes to those beliefs.  This makes some people uncomfortable, as not everyone shares his beliefs.  Yet when he's around, you can't avoid the subject because he's made himself out to be half quarterback, half pastor.  He praises God for everything he does, including winning football games.  Here's the issue with that though - God doesn't care about football.

Based on several of his post game comments, Tebow seems to be under the impression that his team won because God allowed it to happen.  So are we to believe that nobody on the opposing team is religious or that they don't pray as well?  Does God favor Tebow because he prays harder?  Sorry, but that logic doesn't work.  If Tebow loses a game, was God not on his side that time?  He would likely argue that the loss was just part of God's plan for him, but that phrase is just a way for religious people to justify when something goes wrong.  A loss certainly isn't part of head coach John Fox's plan.

My intention isn't to turn this into a religious debate, but rather to point out why Tebow's faith has become such a hot topic in the media.  Tebow has been criticized because he seems to imply that the outcome of games, or the outcome of our lives in general, is pre-determined by some higher power.  As if our lives are scripted for us, depriving us of the free will to make our own decisions and our own mistakes.  Regardless of the outcome, it can all be explained as just following the plan.  That doesn't sit well with many people, who tend to rationalize that individuals impact these events with their own actions.  When a football team wins a game it's because their players performed at a higher level that day, not because of some divine intervention.  Maybe Tebow doesn't really believe that either, but that's the impression he's giving, which is part of why he's become so controversial.

Tim Tebow has done a lot of great things in his short career and it's helped his team win a lot of games lately.  Let's not forget to give credit to his teammates for those victories as well though.  Like Willis McGahee, who is about to break the 1,000 yard rushing mark for the season.  Or their much improved defense, led by likely Rookie of the Year Von Miller.  They deserve credit for the team's winning streak, as well as for covering for many of Tebow's flaws.  Tebow still has a long way to go in his development as a QB before he can ever be considered among the elite at his position, but his off the charts intangibles and leadership ability that his supporters rave about are a big reason why the Broncos are winning games right now.  How far will that take him and how many more games can he win relying on those factors over pure skill?  Only God knows.