Tim Tebow to the Jets was a trade that seemed to have shocked the NFL community, fans and players alike, it even surprised me at first, but that is not the case anymore. The Jets were pitiful in the running game last season, they ranked 22nd in the league, with just 1,692 rushing yards, which is just shy of 1,000 yards off the top rushing team, the Denver Broncos. Their longest run of the year was only 31 yards, and their yards per carry average was 30th in the NFL, only averaging 3.8 yards a carry, which is 1.6 yards below the first place team in that category, the Carolina Panthers. The addition of Tim Tebow to the Jets will surely help boost the running game, which is something the Jets have relied on over the past few years, along with a hard hitting defense. Last year, that was not the case as the Jets struggled in the run game, and brining in someone like Tebow will benefit the Jets running game. We all know the Jets new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano loves to run the ball, especially the wildcat formation, so having Tebow working with him only will help bolster the Jets running game. The Jets ranked 17th in 3rd down conversions last year, again having Tebow will be of benefit because if he is used on third downs he will be a big help, because he can either run the ball or make a quick short throw. The other benefit from this is that Tebow will bring leadership to a locker room that fell apart and was completely dysfunctional the year before, which was seen mainly at the end of the year, especially the final game. Tebow will be an added dimension to an offense that is dire need of help with the run, but that does not mean it could cause a riff in the locker room. The upside here is that he can be used in third and short situations, with a spread option, or could be put into a new role, or even new position to help the Jets out, because he is a true team player and is willing to do whatever it takes to help his teams win a game.
The downside to this is that the team could be divided in the locker room, in practice, and on Sundays, which is something this team does not need in the least. The fact that Tebow had a press conference to himself, in the Jets practice facility should be a little alarming. This is because he is the backup quarterback, and if the backup is getting a lot of attention it can turn fans against Sanchez, and the team could be divided on who should be the starter. Sanchez has a history of getting upset when he has reps taken away in practice, and now Rex Ryan has said Tebow could be used up to 20 plays a game, and it could mean he could be behind center. If the Jets run 60 plays a game, that means a third of the plays Tebow will be involved, and that will take Reps away from Sanchez in practice. Sanchez will both be unhappy and also be stunted in his growth as a quarterback, and considering he is entering his 4th year in the NFL this is a slap in the face to him. He just signed a contract extension and was the 5th overall pick back the 2009 draft, and now his job is being threatened by a quarterback who has a sub 50 percent completion percentage. Sanchez will now have to step up and be the leader he is expected to be and let his team know that he is the starter and will not come off the field for some gimmick offense because he stunk it up the year prior in big moments and on third downs. If he does not assert himself he could lose his starting job, and if that happens he will most likely end up outside of New York, and that is harsh because he was the starter when the Jets made it to back to back AFC title games.
Sanchez must do something, but Tebow will certainly be a boost to a team in need of help in the running attack because Jets football under the Rex Ryan era is hard hitting defense and a strong running game. Tebow is the perfect for this scheme, because he ran it well in Denver, and it made his Broncos the number one rushing team in the league. He was able to boost Willis McGahee in the running game, and this would be of major help to Shonn Greene who is supposed to be the number one running back on a team that is expected to be the top running team year in and year out. This situation could go either way, and by the time preseason is over and we are a few weeks into the 2012 season things could become interesting….
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