Tim Tebow fans, get up off your seats and scream for joy. Your beloved quarterback has made his first start in the National Football League (NFL).
Tebow is a quarterback for the Denver Broncos. He’s played for the Florida Gators. He’s won the Heisman trophy. He’s won two national championships. He’s cried in post game interviews. He’s gotten a concussion. He’s worn Bible verses on his eye black. He’s sat on the bench for most of his rookie season.
Now it is his time to shine.
Kyle Orton, the previous starting quarterback for the Broncos, struggled in the first half against the San Diego Chargers two weeks ago. Tebow started the second half and almost won the game in the final seconds by throwing a pass to the end zone that was just barely dropped.
It was in those final seconds that the Denver Broncos had a chance to improve what was at the time a lousy 1-3 record. Tebow may have been unsuccessful in the final moments against the Chargers, but Tebow fans all across America finally got what they wanted – a chance to see Tebow not only play in a NFL game but play well.
His start against the Miami Dolphins the next week was much different. He wasn’t just taking over for someone else, he was taking control and leading the Broncos to success.
It took him a while to get into the groove. In fact, only two minutes and 44 seconds remained in the game when Tebow threw his first touchdown as a starting quarterback.
One touchdown started a Broncos’ rally that ultimately led to 15 unanswered points to tie the game and send it to overtime. The Broncos scored and Tebow earned his first career NFL victory.
Do things look good for the rest of his starts? I can’t say. He finally got comfortable and maybe that’s all he needs to turn around a 2-4 Broncos team. Does it look like he could be the starter for the rest of the season? It’s a possibility.
This could just be a trial run. It’s about finding out how Tebow can handle the pressure of starting a NFL game. Everyone watched as he almost effortlessly led the Gators to two national championships. Now the nation is watching to see if he can turn around a struggling Broncos team.
I’m a skeptic when it comes to the hype that Tebow has received since being drafted. I think he’s a great Christian role model, but professional sports is a world that we learn most people can’t handle. I would hate to see him change.
He’s not a bad football player either. You don’t just win the Heisman trophy. There’s a lot to learn in the NFL and Tebow is now on his way. I’ll be watching, just like everyone else, hoping he learns quickly.
His next challenge will come when he faces the Detroit Lions, who are coming off two very tough losses to the San Fransisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons.
Will he be able to beat the Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson combination? Can he avoid a defense led by Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch? Tebow fans will have to wait and see.
[WRITER’S NOTE: ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE OCTOBER 2011 EDITION OF “THE PULSE”]