The Philadelphia Eagles were able to knock off the Indianapolis Colts by a final score of 36-10. It was a blowout win for them, but there is absolutely nothing gained by it. Despite that fact, the fans and media were able to get their first glimpse of quarterback Tim Tebow since his brief 2013 stint with the New England Patriots.
Tebow came through with a very solid game for the Eagles as the third quarterback on the depth chart. He ended up completing six of his 12 passing attempts, and totaled 69 yards through the air. In addition to his passing numbers, he picked up 15 yards and a touchdown on four carries.
At 28 years old, Tebow is in the prime of his career and fits perfectly into head coach Chip Kelly’s system. He may not end up making the final roster, but there is a very good chance that he does. Kelly is obviously a fan of the way Tebow plays the game, and no team can have enough players like him who are capable of leading and being a positive influence on the rest of the roster.
While it was a very brief bit of playing time for Tebow, it was still good to see him back on a football field. He made some nice plays and showed some things both good and bad.
What five takeaways can be noticed about Tebow from his first NFL game in two years?
1. Tim Tebow’s Throwing Mechanics Have Improved
One of the biggest issues in Tebow’s game when he first came into the league was his throwing mechanics. They were bad to say it nicely, and left him missing his open receivers and looking like a joke on-the-field. Tebow has improved his mechanics and it was fairly obvious, but there is still more work for him to do in that category.
2. His Leadership Skills Are Still Sharp
Even though his game wasn’t top-notch during his first season as the starter with the Denver Broncos, his leadership skills made up for those deficiencies. He was able to motivate his teammates and got them to leave everything on-the-field for him. That is what every quarterback must have in order to succeed, and he hasn’t lost it even with his break from the league.
3. There Is Much Need for More Improvement
Improvement was obvious from Tebow against the Colts, but he has to continue working hard if he wants to make an NFL roster. Philadelphia obviously likes him, but they have to see development from him throughout the rest of the preseason. Tebow is one of the hardest workers in the league, and it will be interesting to see what ends up happening throughout the next three games.
4. Being a Dual-Threat QB Would Help Philadelphia
Kelly’s system is without question perfect for a player with Tebow’s skill-set. His ability to be a dual-threat quarterback is exactly what will earn him a roster spot if he is indeed able to make it. Philadelphia’s other quarterbacks are not that type of a threat, and Tebow has a unique skill-set that not many players around the NFL possess.
5. Despite Improvement, Roster Spot is a Long Shot
There is no question that Tebow has made the necessary improvements to compete for a roster spot, but at this point it simply doesn’t look likely that he will end up making the Eagles’ roster. Matt Barkley played a very nice game himself, and neither Mark Sanchez or Sam Bradford is going to lose their spot. Kelly could surprise and keep four quarterbacks on the roster, but at this point Tebow is going to have to make a big leap forward to earn a spot.
