Darrelle Revis worried that the Denver Broncos read offense and quarterback Tim Tebow would make the New York Jets secondary “fall asleep” on Thursday night. In the buildup to the game, Revis talked about what he saw as a gimmick offense in Denver, one that Tebow ran — and sometimes passed — to another comeback victory in a 17-13 win over Revis and his Jets.
Revis said on Tuesday he didn’t think the read option could “work for a full season” and called the offense the “Wildcat with an option.” The only thing that doesn’t appear to be an option for Tebow is winning. The second-year quarterback is now 4-1 as a starter.
“You’re always going to have naysayers. I’ve had them since I was seven-years old, trying to play quarterback at Lakeshore. You’re always going to have them. I think that’s just part of the game. Early on at [the University of Florida] I learned to only worry about what I can control,” Tebow told the media after the game. “I’ve probably shared this with you all 20 times, but that’s my attitude, my effort and my focus every day and not worrying about everybody who tells you that you can’t because it’s probably not going to get you anywhere.”
Inside six minutes left in the game, Tebow stared at where Revis and the Jets secondary was lined up, knowing he needed a scoring drive to at least get his team into overtime. Just beyond his field of vision, 95 yards away from where he crouched under center, was the end zone. What followed, down 13-10, was another Tebow drive and another comeback.
A 12-play drive, punctuated by his 20-yard run around the left side of his line, has now firmly entrenched him as heaven-sent in Denver.
“He ended up driving on us. He did it. Tim Tebow did it,” Revis said. “He shocked me; he probably shocked a lot of people, but he did it.”
It wasn’t as much Revis and his Jets defense having to worry that they might “fall asleep” on Thursday night. No, it was more of a “sleeper hold” from Tebow on that final drive. Tebow finished 9-of-20 for 104 yards and added 68 yards rushing.
“Tebow took [their offense] for 229 total yards. I’m not surprised they got that many yards on us,” Jets head coach Rex Ryan said. “He’s a good football player and he made plays at the end of the game.”
But for Revis, Tebow’s display still didn’t wow him, even as the quarterback he targeted with his words on Tuesday dropped the Jets to 5-5, a record few would have imagined before the season began. Even as Tebow did enough for the win, Revis seemed defiant after the game when asked his opinion about the quarterback who willed his team to another improbable win.
“He’s an NFL quarterback,” Revis said. “He throws the ball and he runs the ball.”
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
