John Leyba, The Denver PostTim Tebow throws a pass at Broncos practice on Nov. 9.
The Sporting News conducted a midseason poll asking 111 NFL players from 31 teams “Who is the most overrated player in the NFL?”
The answer: Broncos QB Tim Tebow.
Tebow got 22 votes, beating out Cowboys QB Tony Romo by one vote. Mark Sanchez was third with nine votes.
The results:
The Elias Sports Bureau today made a scoring change from the fourth quarter of the Broncos’ win against Oakland last week, changing a Raiders sack to a no-gain run for quarterback Tim Tebow.
The change drops the Broncos’ sacks allowed in the game to just 1. Tebow had been sacked 13 times in his first two starts this year.
The scoring change also bumped up the Broncos’ rushing attempts against Oakland to 39, now tied for most attempts in a game this season (along with the Miami game on Oct. 23).
Kansas City coach Todd Haley said on a conference call with Denver reporters this morning that he fully expects the Broncos to continue to run a read-option offense against the Chiefs Sunday in Kansas City.
“I wouldn’t be sad if we didn’t see it,” Haley said, laughing. “I think that it’s a multidimensional offense, and it’s becoming that more and more each week as guys get comfortable with what they’re doing, and who they are doing it with. It is pretty impressive right now.”
To prepare, the Chiefs will have their own left-handed quarterback try to mimic in practice what Tebow does in games.
Eddie Royal has returned only one punt all year, but he made that one return count. Royal weaved his way through Oakland players for an 85-yard touchdown return Sunday. His touchdown gave the Broncos a 31-24 lead late in the fourth quarter.
For that return, the NFL selected Royal as the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
He is the first Broncos player to win a weekly honor this season.
Running back Willis McGahee is also up for an honor as one of the nominees for the FedEx Ground Player of the Week award. Fans can vote for that award at nfl.com.
Marcus Thomas is a big guy who can move. Perhaps you remember seeing photos or video Thomas’ standing black flip during a training camp practice when he was a rookie in 2007?
Hopefully by now you’ve seen the video of Thomas getting down after drawing a false start in Sunday’s game in Oakland. I’ve seen Thomas do this move before — it’s a variation on an individual pass rush drill. Watch the clip below:
Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams, one of Thomas’ closest friends on the team, took to his Twitter account Tuesday morning to inspire others to submit videos of similar silly dances. Williams is pitching it as the new Tebowing. The players are calling it the “Dymeboogie.”
As Thomas wrote on Twitter: “Dymeboogie is an spontaneous spurt of quick unnessary movements that mostly occurs in the most awkward moments”
A few weeks ago, it was LeBron James congratulating Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow via Twitter.
Now another Florida-based NBA star is getting in on the action.
Orlando Magic Center Dwight Howard Tweeted a picture of himself and teammate Jameer Nelson doing the Tebow pose this afternoon.
Dwight HowardThe picture started a public Twitter conversation between the two star athletes, which included Tebow inviting Howard to come give football a shot (along with LeBron) should the NBA lockout last much longer.
“BTW @DwightHoward if the lockout continues, you & @KingJames need to come get fitted for your Broncos uni’s!,” Tebow wrote.
We’ve all heard the hypothetical scenarios of LeBron playing in the NFL. He’d be a pretty ridiculous tight end, no? But what about Howard? Defensive end? Tight end?
Broncos rookie safety Rahim Moore was already back into his gameday suit when his teammates returned to the visitors’ locker room last night at O.co Stadium in Oakland. It was somewhat of a surprising sight, considering how severe of a hit he absorbed on the first play of the game.
Moore collided face-first with his own teammate, Andre’ Goodman, while covering a pass, and fell flat onto the grass right in front of the Broncos’ bench. He was eventually able to walk off the field and was quickly taken to the locker room.
Head coach John Fox said Monday he wouldn’t have any new updates on Moore’s recovery from the concussion until at least Wednesday.
“It was definitely scary because it happen right in front [of me],” Fox said. “It was a relief when you saw him moving around and the fact that it’s a concussion is still serious, but it was not as serious as it looked when it happened.”
John Leyba, The Denver PostBroncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway.
Broncos executive John Elway said quarterback Tim Tebow showed improvement in Sunday’s 38-24 win over Oakland, but added that he needs to be better throwing the football.
Elway spent most of his half-hour segment answering questions about Tebow during his weekly radio show with Vic Lombardi and Gary Miller on 102.3 The Ticket this morning.
Tebow finished the game with 124 yards and two touchdowns, but only connected on 10 of his 21 passes.
“I think (Tebow’s completion percentage) has to get higher,” Elway said on 102.3. “I don’t think you can win consistently throwing 50 percent. (But) Tim made some really good throws yesterday.
“It really comes down to consistency,” Elway added. “Bottom line is, when guys are open, you’ve got to be consistent, and you’ve got to hit them. I think Tim’s throwing the ball better.”
Still, Elway said later, “Tim made some improvement yesterday, and made some really good throws.”
Replay the live chat of fans and reporters from Sunday’s Broncos game in Oakland against the Raiders:
Oakland — Brady Quinn is not only dressing for the first time in three games, he’s the Broncos’ No. 2 quarterback since the final three games of last season.
Tim Tebow is the starter although Broncos coach John Fox indicated this week that his second-year lefty would have to show improvement in the passing game, particularly on third down, for the game here today against the Oakland Raiders.
If Tebow gets the wind knocked out of him or falters, Quinn could see action in the second half. Kyle Orton is the No. 3 quarterback and will also be on the game-day roster.
The Broncos have room on their game-day roster for three quarterbacks because three of their best special teams players — Quinton Carter, Cassius Vaughn and Virgil Green — are down with injuries.
Update: Carter, a rookie safety, is active despite suffering a concussion last week against Detroit, but he is not expected to start. Rahim Moore is expected to start at safety alongside Brian Dawkins.
College football has been full of dual threats like Tim Tebow and Cam Newton. Northwestern QB/WR/running QB Kain Colter, who starred at Cherry Creek High School, may be Division I football’s only triple threat.
Do not ignore the boxscore of Northwestern’s 28-25 upset win against Nebraska.
(The only upset part was Northwestern’s defense didn’t blow it. I watch the Wildcats quite a bit and Northwestern goes up by two touchdowns in darn near every game no matter how good the opponent. It’s stunning how many times the Wildcats blow big leads.)
Here are the sophomore Kolter’s stats against the Cornhuskers: 4 of 6 passing for 115 yards and a TD; 17 rushing attempts for 57 yards and 2 TDs; and, from his slot receiver position, 3 catches for 57 yards. That’s 229 triple-threat yards for three touchdowns. Against the Cornhuskers. In Nebraska.
Athleticism drips from this kid’s pores.
So I’m talking to my good friend Jeff Johnson. He blames the Broncos’ fall in recent years on me and he’s an ardent Tim Tebow supporter.
He believes Tebow should be the Broncos’ starting quarterback Sunday against Oakland, next week at Kansas City, next year and in the forseeable future.
“But what about the fact Tebow is 9 of 28 — 32 percent — passing through the first three quarters of his two starts?” I ask.
Says Jeff Johnson: “So you’re telling me he completed 9 passes.”
And that, my friends, is what TebowMania is all about.
Andrew Luck wasn’t the only excuse for John Elway to get out of the office. Elway, the Hall of Fame quarterback and boss of the Broncos’ football operations, and team general manager Brian Xanders are scouting the Northern California colleges this week.
Elway and Xanders scouted the University of California’s practice Thursday.
Xanders has been scouting college pro prospects two or three days a week since the season started and Elway is joining him as part of his first-year apprentice work as a front-office executive.
Elway and Xanders will meet up with the Broncos when the team arrives Saturday for their game Sunday at Oakland.
A big deal was made when Elway was spotted scouting Stanford’s practice Wednesday where Luck is the quarterback and projected No. 1 draft pick. But Stanford has two offensive linemen (tackle Jonathan Martin and guard David DeCastro) who are also projected first-round picks.
Cal’s best NFL prospects are defensive end Trevor Guton and receiver Marvin Jones.
Associated PressStanford QB Andrew Luck
NFL scouts and football folks frequently troll the sidelines of college football practices.
But of course, John Elway is no normal football executive, and when he’s seen at the college practice of the projected No. 1 pick in next year’s draft, well, that becomes news.
Associated Press reporter Antonio Gonzalez reported via Twitter Wednesday afternoon that Elway is watching Stanford, and star quarterback Andrew Luck, practice in Palo Alto.
A Broncos team spokesman said earlier today that Elway and general manager Brian Xanders are out of town this week “scouting.”
It isn’t Elway’s first trip to Stanford this year. He was also in Palo Alto earlier this fall to watch the Cardinal play the University of Colorado.
Elway (and any NFLer) is banned from talking about college players while they are still in college. But he can certainly observe.
John Fox, showing some teeth.
On a conference call with Oakland reporters today, Fox shot down the idea that he and the Broncos coaching staff were starting Tim Tebow at quarterback to silence the fans.
“I think it’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” Fox said. “I think at the end of the day we’re trying to evaluate a football team and win games. After that, that’s all we really care about.”
DENVER — The Broncos were off Tuesday, but Wesley Woodyard put some of his teammates to work.
Woodyard recruited at least a dozen of his teammates to attend his first big charity event in Denver, a dinner at Sullivan’s Steakhouse in LoDo, where the players served as waiters. Proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction go to Woodyard’s 16 Ways Foundation.
Woodyard has been quietly mentoring some local teens for several years, and also holds multiple youth events in his hometown of LaGrange, Ga. The name “16 Ways” in a nod to the jersey number he wore in high school and college.
“My foundation gives back to at-risk kids, and this here is something also for the fans,” Woodyard said. “Get us out of our elements, here serving food and just enjoying life.”
Broncos Von Miller and Willis McGahee dropped in on Paris Elementary School in Aurora this week as part of the National Football League’s “Play 60″ program that encourages children to be active physically in sports and other fun activities.
Here’s how it went down:
Brian Bahr, Getty ImagesOakland Raiders fans cheer on their team with a sign paying homage to the late Al Davis during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 23.
With the Broncos playing ’Da Raiders on Sunday, what better way to honor the late Al Davis than rooting out the greatest villains in NFL history.
Who’s on your list? Is it Davis, the Raiders’ owner whom Broncos fans loved to hate?
Maybe it’s Bill Romanowski, a self-confessed dirty player.
How about Brian Bosworth, the former Seahawks’ linebacker who once upon a time inspired a middle-finger salute from John Elway.
Some might suggest that the Dallas Cowboys, as a whole, are the NFL’s all-time greatest villains.
Surely Terrell Owens is on someone’s list. And T.O.’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus might be the biggest villain of them all.
So who is your No. 1 NFL villain, and why? Send your response in an email to fanmail@denverpost.com. Please be sure to include your first name and where you are from.
The best responses will be part of our online slide show feature called “The Count.”
For some reason, I get a lot of e-mails, hear some talk show chatter, and get questions from friends that wonder if Broncos bosses John Elway and John Fox are purposely setting up Tim Tebow to fail.
It started with the trade of No. 1 receiver Brandon Lloyd, so the “conspiracy theory” does have a seed, I suppose. But like most conspiracy theories, they have spread to lunancy. Like the Broncos’ offensive game plan for instance. The complaints went from too much conservative play-calling in Tebow’s first start at Miami and not enough conservative passing in his second start against the Lions.
Now for statistical documentation:
Paul Sakuma, The Associated PressRaiders coach Hue Jackson has his own QB issues to deal with in Oakland
The Raiders started their preparations for the Broncos today, holding their first post-bye-week practice, after which, head coach Hue Jackson met with reporters.
At that press conference, Jackson was told that here in Denver, John Fox had committed to Tim Tebow as the starting quarterback for Sunday’s game in Oakland.
“Oh did he?” Jackson said, adding that he was glad the quarterback controversy was elsewhere.
“I stood up here a couple of weeks ago and everybody was ready to hammer me for what was going on with our quarterback. Now it’s somebody else instead,” Jackson said.
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