What the second-year player who led Florida to two national championships has done is draw national attention. How he’s done it, though, is dominating the discussion. The Broncos have trailed in the fourth quarter in each of the past four games, with Tebow, in some cases for the game’s first 58 minutes, looking like the pedestrian, flawed quarterback many think he is. But he’s orchestrated scoring drives all four times that ultimately produced victories - two in overtime - exhibiting the traits reserved for only the best players at his position.
When the Patriots visit Sunday for a 4:15 p.m. game at Sports Authority Field, they’ll be given a challenge few other teams have met: Find a way, for 60 minutes, to keep Tebow from working his magic.
“Obviously he’s a great quarterback and his team follows him, just like we follow Tom [Brady],’’ said linebacker Rob Ninkovich. “We just have to go out there and play him like we play every other quarterback.’’
That hasn’t worked all that well this season, since the Patriots’ defense is last in the league against the pass, and has given up massive chunks of yardage to the likes of Henne (416 yards), Vince Young (400), and Orlovsky (353), not exactly the most feared names under center. The opposing quarterback has thrown for at least 300 yards in nine of the Patriots’ 13 games.
Tebow, however, hasn’t thrown for 300 yards in any game this season; his best is 236, last week against the Bears. That’s not how he hurts teams, though. His size (6 feet 3 inches, 236 pounds), and his willingness and ability to run the football, gives him the look and feel of a bruising fullback. Mix in an arm that is adequate and mistake-free decision-making (two interceptions this season against 11 touchdowns), and Tebow brings a unique dimension defenses typically don’t have to prepare for.
