Jets Owner May Push to Start Tim Tebow Over Mark Sanchez if Team Continues Losing Ways

by Doug Kyed on Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at 12:01AM

Let the quarterback controversy winds start blowing.

Jets owner Woody Johnson may start pushing the team to play Tim Tebow over Mark Sanchez.

The not-so-stunning bit of news comes from Rich Cimini of ESPN New York, who reported that "two people who know Johnson, and know how he runs his football
operation, believe he will push his football people to start Tebow."

Sanchez has certainly struggled this season. He's only completing 49.2 percent of his passes with five touchdowns, four interceptions and two fumbles in four games. His — and the Jets' — best game came in Week 1 against Buffalo, when Sanchez completed 70.4 percent of his passes with three touchdowns on the way to a 48-28 win. Sanchez is 44-for-101 since that game, with the Jets losing to the 49ers and Steelers and barely beating the Dolphins.

Those stats sound dangerously like Tebow's last year, except Sanchez isn't as much of a weapon with his legs. Sanchez has a history of getting the job done when it matters and made the playoffs his first two seasons starting. But after an improved statistical 2011 season, this year has been a disaster.

Still, is it really time to turn to Tebow?

Now may be as good of a time as any. Jets No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes is likely done for the season, and the rest of the team's wide receivers are either promising young players yet to reach their full potential or castoffs.

Tebow's success with the Broncos went against any logical football reasoning, but it did still happen. It may destroy what's left of Sanchez's confidence, but if the Jets continue to struggle, it may be worth seeing if Tebow has any magic left. The Jets must have brought Tebow in for a reason this year. And it wasn't to be a specialty punt protector.

Of course, now that Holmes is likely done for the season, the Jets may need Tebow to start playing wide receiver.