WASHINGTON — The NBA and NHL playoffs are underway, Major League Baseball is in full swing, and spring has officially sprung. It’s arguably the single best moment of the year on the sports calendar, and, sorry, what was that?
— darth™ (@darth) April 19, 2015
Ah. Right.
Exquisitely timed, just five days after Aaron Hernandez’s murder conviction — the capstone on the NFL’s disaster of a year — the apogee of all distractions has reappeared. And yet, as much as the news media will obsess over his absence from the game, his work with renowned Major-League-pitcher-turned-throwing-instructor Tom House, or his polarizing impact as a religious figure, Tim Tebow’s return has less to do with him and anything he stands for than it does another person: Chip Kelly.
It has already been a newsworthy offseason for Kelly. He traded his best running back, regarded by many as one of the best in the league, for a linebacker and salary relief. He traded for a quarterback who has played just 49 games in the five years he’s been in the league due to numerous injuries.
Now he’s bringing in Tebow, a quarterback whose broken throwing motion exiled him from the sideline to television duties. Mind you, the Eagles already have three quarterbacks. Even if House has worked miracles and rectified Tebow’s throwing motion, what would Kelly want with yet another signal caller? Especially another quarterback from this dismal list?
Lowest Total QBR Since 2010 Minimum 30 Games
Tim Tebow 33.4
Geno Smith 35.7
Chad Henne 36.9
Mark Sanchez 40.4
Sam Bradford 40.7— Bucci Mane (@Buccigross) April 20, 2015
Some people think it’s all about Kelly’s ego, proving that he can do something even the great Bill Belichick couldn’t. Most seem to think that Tebow won’t make enough of a difference to matter, either positively or negatively.
Deadspin’s Drew Magary brought up an interesting point Monday. Chip Kelly was well-known for his steamroller of an offensive attack at Oregon, which frequently went for two rather than simply kicking the extra point. With rule changes looming in the NFL surrounding the PAT, could Kelly be hedging on the importance of the extra, extra point? Considering that Tebow was most effective in college in short yardage situations around the goal line, this is not that far-fetched a theory.
Tebow has completed 20 passes just once in his career. In the 14 games he has attempted at least 10 passes, he has completed better than 50 percent of them just three times. But in his 14 starts, he averaged nearly 60 yards per game on the ground, at better than 5.6 yards per carry. And if anyone can find a way to integrate a formerly successful dual threat quarterback into his mad scientist system, it’s Kelly.
Meanwhile, despite owning the number 5 overall pick, 15 slots ahead of Philadelphia, Washington doesn’t have half as many rumors about potentially drafting Marcus Mariota (another quarterback!) swirling around them as the Eagles do.
If nothing else, Kelly seems to be well-positioned to steal the Redskins’ long-standing title of “Champions of the Offseason.” Right?
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) April 20, 2015
