Tim Tebow was too much for the Oakland Raiders. The option-run combo of Tebow and Willis McGahee was unstoppable Sunday afternoon for the Denver Broncos as the Broncos ran away with a 38-24 come from behind victory.
"We knew exactly what they were going to do and we just didn't stop it," Raiders defensive tackle Richard Seymour said. "We knew exactly what was going to happen, and they ran exactly what we thought they were going to run and we didn't get the job done.”
Tim Tebow, looking more like a college quarterback than the prototypical pro quarterback, used his running ability to keep the Raiders' linebackers honest and indecisive.
Adding to Oakland’s defensive decision dilemma, Tebow mixed in short passes including two touchdown passes to Eddie Royal and Eric Decker.
Tebow ran for 118 yards on 12 carries; some on designed quarterback draws, others off the run-option when he decided not to hand the ball off to Willis McGahee.
McGahee, for his efforts, gained 163 yards on 20 carries and did the bulk of the work including a game-breaking 60-yard run at the end of the third quarter.
Eddie Royal returned a punt for 85 yards and McGahee added another 24-yard, touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory for the Broncos.
In control in the first half, the Raiders’ Carson Palmer, starting his first game for the Raiders, had the Raiders comfortably ahead, 17-7, after throwing a touchdown passes to Michael Bush and Marcel Reece.
The competitive Tebow, turning around a forgetful game last week against Detroit, used five series in the second half to dismantle the Raiders; a 9-play, 80 yard drive, a 7-play 52-yard drive, McGahee’s 1-play 60 yard TD run, and a 4-play, 77-yard drive to totally dominate the second half and prove to the naysayers that he has the mettle, and talent, to be an NFL quarterback.
"He did a great job as far as reading the ends on what he had to do as far as keeping it or giving it. When I got the ball it was my job just to get some yards." McGahee would say in praise of his tormented quarterback.
Head coach John Fox agreed, "I thought he improved throwing the ball. He's always run the ball pretty effectively. He's very competitive by nature. You see evidence of that. Now it's just learning how to be an NFL quarterback. In my opinion he's gotten better each time out."
For the Raiders, it’s back to the drawing board for their new quarterback, Carson Palmer, which is becoming a theme for the franchise in recent years.
"It's kind of a crash course the last couple weeks," Palmer said. "It's like you're jamming or cramming for a final or a test. The more work I put in the better it’ll get.”
Palmer, in the losing effort, threw for 332 yards, 19/35 comp/attempts, three touchdowns, and three, costly interceptions.
Follow me on Twitter @ExaminerPhotog
Comments