http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100...content_stream Tim Tebow, New York Jets will explode on offense this season By Jason Smith Fantasy Analyst Published: Sept. 7, 2012 at 01:43 p.m. 14 Likes | 22 Comments Email Print Read Discuss Ready for this? The New York Jets are going to explode offensively this season. And it's all about Tim Tebow and the tremendous effect he's going to have. Yes, you read it correctly. It's not a joke. It's me knowing my team and reading the signs this pre-season. First of all, yeah, I know the first team didn't score in the preseason. It's not a problem, nor is it a big check mark on the to-do list for them in August. The Jets aren't letting anyone see how they're going to use Tim Tebow this season. No one. Not at open practice, and especially not in games that don't count. What did we see in the preseason? Tebow coming in, playing some mop-up QB, struggling to throw the football and taking abuse. That is 100 percent what is NOT going to happen during the season. It's time to start believing the Jets' plan for Tebow has nothing to do with what we've seen so far. Put Tebow in the backfield at the same time as Mark Sanchez? I wouldn't put it past Wildcat inventor Tony Sparano. (The Jets wanted Tebow to bulk up to 250 pounds. When's the last time a team asked a QB to do that? That's a tell.) Do you think the Jets opinion of Shonn Greene is so high that they felt he didn't need any help this off-season? They know he struggled as a full-time starter in 2011. They got help, just not what everyone expected. They know Tebow can't throw the football like a traditional QB, and they won't ask him to. They'll play to his strengths. Defenses will have no idea what to expect. Who's going to get the football here? And they'll be forced to play slow, which is a huge advantage for the offense. Tebow doesn't have to get the football all the time; the mere possibility will disrupt the defense. When the Jets get inside the 20, will it be Sanchez or Tebow? Good luck trying to substitute to get the right matchup on the field for that. New York's plan will be to put defenses on their heels and make them line up in their base formation as much as possible. New York's offense as a whole will be much greater than its individual parts. There's more evidence to prove I'm right. Remember how tenuous the Jets' locker room was at the end of last season? They did a good job in repairing it, but you know it's still fragile. If they were so concerned about how they were playing this pre-season, someone would have said something to start off a chain-reaction of panic. Three games with no touchdowns? Even if it's the preseason, the panic button would have been pressed, Santonio Holmes would have blown up, and someone would have said they didn't believe in what the team was doing offensively. Anonymously, of course, because they would have wanted that opinion in the public eye in the hopes it would change what was happening in Jets camp. But so far, who's been really upset? Who's complained? Who's said they're concerned? No one. Sanchez is laughing it off with an air of confidence. Holmes is shrugging his shoulders. Tebow says he's happy (OK, he would say that anyway). Coach Rex Ryan says things will be fine for Buffalo in Week 1. Trust me, in the sports world of 2012, you can't hide something like that. It would have gotten out by now. But it's been like the Stepford Jets. What's been their real issue (other than WR health) this pre-season? Wayne Hunter. He was awful at right tackle. The Jets then traded for me -- OK the Rams' Jason Smith, though I had a ton of fun with that on Twitter and Google Plus when it went down -- and now the problem is solved. They had an issue, and they dealt with it. If you still think I'm nuts, just ask yourself this question: Do you honestly believe that Ryan and his staff, who have been to two AFC Championship Games in three years, are teaming up with Sparano and walking around Florham Park like the Keystone Kops? Give the Jets more credit than that. They're an easy punching bag because they like the headlines. There will be plenty more of them in 2012. You have been warned.
"Fantasy analyst" NFL.com has become the biggest waste of space in the sporting world with guys like Rank, Dameshek, Smith, etc having free reign of the front page. I cannot think of a more useless website when it comes to football.
This reads like Bleacher Report and not NFL.com. Also, this guy looks like Sloth from The Goonies. It would be beyond idiotic to have Tebow and Sanchez on the field at the same time for a significant number of plays. What's Sanchez going to do if Tebow's handling the ball? Block a blitzing linebacker? Run a pass route or two? You put them both on the field and give it to Tebow, and you're playing 10-on-11 and giving the defense an advantage. Not a good way to run an offense or - more importantly - score.
I can't believe there are people who actually dislike this article. The SOJF are out in full force this year. Can't wait to shut them up on Sunday.
I see nothing wrong with this article at all. It's not like the guy is predicting Tebow will score 30 tds, he's saying make no mistake, his presence will help in unexpected ways. I'm intrigued.
I get what you're saying, but technically its 10 on 10 because if you put Sanchez out wide and send him on any kind of route a cornerback has to stay on him, you can't just leave him unaccounted for. Also you would have to think the safeties would be near the box with tebow under center so even though Sanchez is just a QB, can't leave him out there on his own.
I think the Tebow effect can be a huge factor early on because teams dont know what to expect. I do believe by the end of the year the wildcat plays will be defended better but I do expect a hot start. We do go against the Steelers, Texans, 49ers D early which could be a blessing if they dont have enough film yet to prepare.
I said it a while back when they signed Tebow, I wouldn't be surprised if the plan is to line Tebow up in the RB slot next to Sanchez in the shotgun, and leave the defense to wonder who the ball will be snapped to. at that point you can snap it to Sanchez for a traditional pass play; snap it to Sanchez who can hand it off to Tebow for a halfback option; or direct snap it to Tebow for the HB option. no matter which they do, the defense has to account for all three before the snap, and if Tebow ends up with the ball either by direct snap or from hand off they still have to worry whether he will run it or pass it. that will undoubtedly cause safeties and linebackers to pause, and those pauses are what open up opportunities on offense. there is nothing crazy theoretically about what he said. whether that is how the Jets will use Tebow, and whether they will execute it well enough for it to work remains to be seen. but if it works it is going to open up the offense tremendously, especially the passing game.
I've heard that Sanchez has decent hands does he have good speed also? I don't expect him to be running slants across the middle, but if he can run a couple of different routes then it does seem more likely that we'll see both of them on the field running the "wildcat" or whatever.
'Explode' seems a little too strong for me, but I'm optimistic. I'm glad to see the rare pro-Jets article on NFL.com, but of course it takes a Jets fan to be the one to write it, not that there's anything wrong with that. Looking forward to Sunday.
He did catch a pass in the game against Tennessee in week 3, 2009, IIRC, for a decent gain, too, but it was called back on a penalty. Otherwise, I just remember a ridiculous one-handed catch he made when fooling around in practice on Hard Knocks.
So, if confusion is the method, what happened to ground and pound? Perhaps more important is that kind of set has consequences you don't mention. For example if the ball goes to Sanchez, of what benefit is it to have Tebow in on the play? Pass block? Hand it off to him? I am not aware that Tebow has ever played as a conventional running back. If the ball is snapped directly to Tebow, then what role does Sanchez play? Sounds to me like it ends up the Jets playing ten against eleven. Or Sanchez is going to block? I don't think so, not REALLY block. Or he will become a receiver out of the backfield? Tebow will hand the ball to Sanchez in a running play? Please. Whatever benefit comes from confusion (I can't help thinking here of all the criticism Schotty used to get for running "trick" plays) will be outweighed by either Tebow or Sanchez being superfluous when both are on the field. Also recall that when the Jets ran the wildcat with Smith, Usually Sanchez was either off the field or a wasted player lined up at wideout. I am not a fan of anything having to do with Tebow being on the Jets. Ftr.
The only way Tebow and Sanchez on the same field works is if one of them is playing running back or H-back and I don't think Sanchez qualifies. As others have pointed out, the reason the wildcat works at all is that there are 10 blockers on the field and the QB just has to beat his man to get yards.
Thanks Aero I think we will see both of them on the field in a traditional "Wildcat" and possibly Tebow specific packages in the goal line area.
every play is dependent on confusion -- the defense trying to guess what is coming. when a team is running the ball, they want the defense to think they are passing so the LB's will drop into coverage and give the RB a few more seconds to operate. when they are throwing the ball, they hope the safeties bite up so it opens the field downfield. again, all you are looking for is one second of hesitation to open up a lane that otherwise wouldn't be there. nothing about trying to confuse the defense is unique to the Tebow/Sanchez dynamic, just that it could provide more confusion. you're right, the weakness of such a strategy is what the hell do you do with Sanchez if he hands the ball off or the ball is snapped to Tebow? but the same dynamic exists in a traditional running play. when the QB hands the ball off to a traditional RB, you are playing the same 10 on 11 you mentioned previously and that seems to work out fine if the defense is confused. the QB doesn't start blocking on running plays, so the defense always has a one man advantage half the game. hardly a reason to worry. sure, it isn't a traditional handicap in the passing game, but maybe something the confusion can offset. as has been mentioned, somebody has to at least cover Sanchez even if he is out of the play, so you have taken one man out of the field of play essentially unless the opponent really wants to leave him wide open every play. even a lead footed QB could catch a ball wide open and walk out of bounds for a positive gain, so that is hardly that big a detriment. so, you wouldn't really be playing 10-11, you would be playing 10 on 10, plus have the added confusion of LB's and safeties not knowing whether they should be defending the pass or run, and if that confusion can open up lanes than it has the potential to work.
Now that WFH is in St Louis the Jets can have 10 blockers on the field plus touchdown Tim Tebow, aka T3.
I was thinking that they might use Tebow on plays when they are inside the opponents 5 yard line, including 2 point plays.
