Shonn Greene Says It Is Tebow Time
By Mike Dyce
Nov 11, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow (15) walks off the field after the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New York Jets at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated New York 28-7. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE
As the New York Jets continue to struggle, the calls for Tim Tebow, and the ensuing Tebowmania are creeping in. Maybe it’s the lack of Linsanity since Jeremy Lin left for Houston. But either way, the beckons for Tebow Time are getting louder and it just got it’s biggest endorser, running back Shonn Greene.
“Something’s got to change,” Shonn Greene told Yahoo! Sports. “When you get to the point where you’re 3-6, and losing and losing, a couple of guys are like, ‘Oh, what would happen [if Tebow played]? But guys at the same time have faith in Mark, so it’s kind of an up-and-down thing.”
“You feel bad for Mark, but at the same time you want to win games. We’re not here to protect people’s feelings. If you want to win games, you’ve got to try something. If somebody’s not getting the job done, you see if somebody else can do it. It’s the same with coaching, or any position. You don’t mean to belittle someone or say ‘he sucks.’ That’s just the harsh reality.”
The fans have been toying with the idea for longer then any player has hinted at. But the debate, according to Greene, is alive and well in the locker room, and that is dangerous for a team on the brink. Some players though are less optimistic about Tebowtime and stand by current starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.
“The light always shines brighter on a quarterback,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “When a team isn’t winning, the most popular person is the backup quarterback. If they do it this way [keeping Sanchez as the starter], we need to find a way to win games. If they do it the other way, they do it the other way, and we still have the same challenge.”
“At the end of the day, we all have ups and downs. We all have good seasons and bad seasons. It’s part of football, and we all move on and keep fighting.”
But despite Tebow’s habit of finding ways to win last season with Denver, many Jets players are unsure of Tim Tebow because of his struggles in practice.
“He does,” Greene confirmed. “I’m not gonna lie. His mechanics, his throwing … not looking like a normal NFL quarterback. But you know what? He’s a football player. He makes stuff happen.”
Ironically, Bart Scott disagrees with this assesment.
“I don’t think he looks bad in practice,” Scott said. “We all have hiccups. Wednesday practice is always sloppy — we’re dealing with new game plans and learning as we go. You get refined by Friday; that’s why we call it Fast Friday. I think he’s like the rest of us.”
Sanchez is staying positive about all the Tebow chatter.
“Hey man, it’s all part of it,” Sanchez said. “I’m good, all things considered. My teammates know I’m gonna stay positive, keep working and fight for the guys in this locker room.”
Bart Scott though is ready to support Tim Tebow if it is his time to play.
“If he plays,” Scott said, “we’re gonna rally behind him.”