Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow was inactive for a game for the first time this season, the result of an injury to his ribs he suffered three weeks ago in Seattle.
Tebow was rarely used in practice throughout the week and barely threw the ball. On Friday, he said it was painful to even attempt passes.
“I never thought he was full-go. Kind of sitting back, a little trouble throwing the football. We did practice him on a very limited basis throughout the week,” head coach Rex Ryan said. “Just something that I felt it’d be better for him to take this week off and should be much more healthy for Jacksonville.”
The irony of the situation is that starter Mark Sanchez was pulled from the game in the third quarter and backup quarterback Greg McElroy was inserted. On his first drive under center, McElroy completed two of his three passes for nine yards including a 1-yard touchdown pass to the give the Jets a 7-3 lead.
If he was healthy, it could have been Tebow who entered the game to lead the dramatic comeback. It is a scenario not unlike the many comebacks he had in Denver the last two seasons.
Ryan wouldn’t say if he would have put Tebow in had he been available and healthy.
“I’m not going to go into the ‘what ifs,’” Ryan said. “I just know what we had up and I made the decision to try and win the football game. Fortunately for us, we ended up winning.”
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
