Bill Belichick talks Tim Tebow, Broncos

December 14, 2011|By Michael Whitmer, Globe Staff

By Michael Whitmer, Globe Staff

The approach from the Patriots this week seems to be that they're playing the Denver Broncos, not the Denver Tebows, but the second-year quarterback is getting most of the attention from the media, not surpsingly. Coach Bill Belichick took a few minutes this morning at Gillette Stadium to answer Tebow-related questions. He likes what he's seen so far from the Broncos' newest star.

"I don’t know if there’s another quarterback in the league that has Tim Tebow’s skills," Belichick said. "He can run, he can throw, he's got good poise, doesn’t turn the ball over, makes good decisions. Offensively they can run it, they have big-play receivers, the quarterback adds another dimension to the game. They do a lot of things well."

Tebow has become a polarizing player, criticized by former players for his mechanics, lauded and ridiculed by others for his very public faith. He's directed the hard-charging Broncos to wins in seven of their past eight games, frequently overcoming late-game deficits in the process.

Belichick doesn't put much stock in the criticism about Tebow's mechanics.

"I don't agree with any of that. I think his passing was good in college, he was a very productive passer in college, and he's throwing the ball well in this league," Belichick said. "He throws it short, throws it intermediaite, can throw it deep. I think he's got some very good throws, as good as anybody that you'd want to put in there."

In other topics:

* Belichick wouldn't say if or when Patrick Chung (foot) and Brandon Spikes (right knee sprain) would return. "They're doing better," Belichick said. "When they're healthy, they're ready to play. If they're not ready to play, then they're not ready."

* The Broncos are 6-2 in the past eight games against the Patriots, starting with a 31-20 win in 2001. That stretch of recent success against New England, Belichick said, means absolutely nothing. "It doesn't really matter what happened in other years. This is a new team, they have a new coach out there, they do things differently," he said. "They're good right now, they're playing well and playing with a lot of confidence."