Tebow success won’t last long term

The game is on the line and the Broncos are down 3 points in a critical divisional matchup.

In years past, this would be a time the team would shrivel up and fold, Denver hasn’t had a serviceable quarterback since John Elway retired (including Jay Cutler).

Today, things are a little bit different.

It’s Tebow Time.

And win, lose or draw, America will surely be tuned in to see every twist in this story.

Tim Tebow is an icon. He’s a cultural phenomenon.

As a backup quarterback last season, he led the NFL in jersey sales.

You heard me right, Tebow beat out Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Adrian Peterson and everyone else.

He’s one of those guys that people don’t just want to see, but they want to study and critique his every move.

He is, simply put, the most polarizing figure in all of professional sports with a neatly clad group of both supporters and haters lined up on each end of the spectrum.

Either way, love or hate, there is no indifference and everyone is watching.

Fueling the fire is success, something Tebow has had during his time with the Broncos.

As a starter this year, the former Heisman Trophy winner lifted the Broncos from the dead, turning around a 1-4 start and giving the team an outside shot at the playoffs.

But as sports fans, we tend to overreact and live too much in the moment. That’s why there have been seven “games of the century” in the past five years and 15 NBA players have been “the next Michael Jordan.”

So let me bring a little realism into our discussion and shower you with the truth, Tim Tebow is not a good NFL quarterback. His success will be short-lived.

In the NFL, you need a dominant quarterback, it’s the most important position in all of sports.

In the 1970s and 80s, one could get away with decent quarterback play because the running game still was the dominant force of the sport.

But the rules have changed and everything benefits passers and receivers now. Heck, I’ll even go so far as to say the running back is an endangered species on the verge of becoming extinct.

Don’t believe me? Ask the Indianapolis Colts. With Peyton Manning, they are a top-tier AFC team.

Without him, winning games are completely out of the question. They struggle enough just to get individual first downs.

But if you put Manning back in the lineup and take away all of the team’s halfbacks out of the lineup, they’d still chug along without a hitch.

A quick peek at the division leaders in the NFL and you’ll see exactly the same point illustrated.

Tom Brady, elite.

Joe Flacco, semi-elite.

Matt Schaub, elite.

Carson Palmer, semi-elite.

Tony Romo, elite.

Aaron Rodgers, the best in the world.

Drew Brees, elite.

Alex Smith, the exception to the rule. His lack of elite will show. If they win a single playoff game, I volunteer to walk the streets of Houma with a mullet and Fu Manchu mustache for a month, a full month, out of shame. Not shame that my prediction was wrong, oh no!

But shame that the NFL has sunk so far that Alex Smith could win a playoff game.

So with that out of the way, let’s bring Tebow into the mix and give him a grade to match the others.

Simply put, he’s nowhere close to elite.

For all of his late game shenanigans, people don’t see that Tebow is awful for the first 58 minutes of every game.

Sure, he has a good touchdown to interception ratio, but let’s look at the rest of his passing metrics.

He has a 45 percent completion rate.

He averages 6 yards per attempt.

In his starts, he tosses for 128 yards per game.

By comparison, Aaron Rodgers completes 72 percent of his passes.

Rodgers averages 9.6 yards per attempt.

And the Packer slings for 315 yards per game.

Oh yeah, and he has 37 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions.

That and he has a Super Bowl ring.

Tebow’s biggest weapon is his running ability and he has had a lot of success on the ground, accumulating several touchdowns, while also having a 100-yard game.

But what do running quarterbacks almost all have in common?

The answer is casts, slings, crutches and neck braces, you have to be able to throw the football to have extended success.

I know it’s coming, I know it’s coming, you’ll tell me stats don’t matter and Tebow just wins games.

Fine, I’m ready for that argument, too.

Since taking over as Denver’s quarterback, Tebow has beaten the following teams: the Dolphins (trash), Raiders (Carson Palmer was fresh off the couch), Chiefs (trash), Jets (good win) and Chargers (my Super Bowl pick, but trash).

The only true dominant team Mr. Tebow has faced? The Lions.

How’d that turn out?

I believe the score was 45-10 in favor of Mr. Tebow’s opponent.

I also believe I remember it being so lopsided that several Detroit players were mocking Tebow on the field following sacks.

When was the last time you ever saw someone mock Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers?

The answer: Never.

I applaud Tim Tebow for the success he’s having, he’s breathing life into an organization that needs some.

But give me the truly elite quarterbacks when the playoffs roll around.

There’s no way Tim Tebow fits that mold.