Denver's Tim Tebow (left) breaks away from San Diego's Travis LaBoy on Sunday. Tebow ran the ball 22 times for 67 yards in the Broncos' win - the most carries by a quarterback since 1950. Lenny Ignelzi / Associated Press

Tim Tebow has led Broncos to 5-1 record as a starter, but critics still decry everything from talent to beliefs

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has earned a 5-1 record since taking over the starting role but is still the subject of a raging debate about whether he has a long-term future in the National Football League (NFL).

Tebow led the Broncos to their fourth straight win on Sunday with the team now playing an option offense that is rarely used in the NFL, but which Denver coach John Fox has wisely realized works best for his unorthodox quarterback.

Put simply, Denver is bucking the convention in a modern-day NFL that says your offense must be based almost entirely around accurate passing.

Instead, the Broncos are playing to Tebow's strength by running the ball and letting their athletic quarterback do plenty of the running himself.

During Sunday's overtime win over the San Diego Chargers, Tebow carried the ball 22 times for 67 yards, the most carries by a quarterback in a game since 1950.

So much for the option offence being unsuited for the NFL, and so much for the "novelty" of Tebow being quickly worked out by opposing defenses.

Fox has been frank in his views about the need to improvise the offense to fit with Tebow, telling NFL.com recently: "If we were trying to run a regular offence, he'd be screwed."

After Sunday's win, which moved the Broncos within a game of the AFC West-leading Oakland Raiders, Fox offered a little more detail.

"Part of coaching is putting your players in the best position to take advantage of their abilities. Timmy's got outstanding abilities. He proved it at a high level of college football," said Fox.

"It's something that he's comfortable with, I think our team's adapted to it and right now I think it's working in the run portion of our offense but he's still got some growth to do in the pass portion."

Tebow has been at his best when his team has needed to come from behind. Sunday's win was the fourth time he led Denver to a win after trailing or being tied in the fourth quarter.

Sketchy passing

But still there are questions - as Fox intimated, Tebow's passing remains sketchy. He went 9-of-18 for 143 yards on Sunday but rarely looks comfortable when he has to throw.

Then there is the latest response to dealing with the unexpected success of the Floridian - giving credit for the wins to other members of the Broncos.

"The recipe for the Broncos winning five of six is not Tebow, Tebow and more Tebow. It's defense and the running game keeping things close." Peter King wrote in his Monday column for SI.com.

There is no doubt that the stingy Denver defense has been a major factor in the team's success. In the past three games, it has allowed an average of 277 yards and 9.6 points.

And the running game is by no means all about Tebow. Running back Willis McGahee was in outstanding form on Sunday, rushing for 117 yards on 23 carries.

But the Tebow factor is there. His winning approach is evident in the way the team fights until the end, the way he keeps his nerve in the decisive final minutes and the way teammates, many expected to be skeptical of him, have rallied around him.

There is, of course, another factor that explains the national obsession with Tebow that goes beyond discussions of technique and strategies - call it the "culture war" aspect.

Tebow brings his religious beliefs into interviews and, by kneeling and praying on the sideline during games, onto the field. While some enjoy that, others are unimpressed.

Former Denver quarterback Jake Plummer, caused a stir by saying he would prefer it if there were less public praise of Jesus from Tebow in post-game comments.

"I'm not dissing the guy for his beliefs. He obviously is a good kid. He's got a lot of strong morals and values - it's just I'll Tivo (record) it and then I'll mute it. I don't have to hear it. It's our option, we can listen if we want," he told Denver sports radio station 102.3 The Ticket.

Plummer, though, is able to separate his views on the cultural aspect of Tebow and his ability on the field.

"What it is about in the NFL is winning ... that's all the fans should worry about really. If the ball is in his hands and there is a decisive moment in a game, he is going to make plays," said Plummer.

"He might not throw a 30-yard seam route for a touchdown but he might run it 30 yards and dodge a bunch of people. Either way, it is exciting."

Reuters

(China Daily 11/30/2011 page23)