We found out that the Tim Tebow magic was fleeting after his awful showing against the Detroit Lions last week. Carson Palmer's last game (against the Kansas City Chiefs two Sundays ago) was also a dud, with three interceptions in limited time after he replaced Kyle Boller.
We'll find out which quarterback has the potential to be a franchise anchor for their team when the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders square off this Sunday. If I were a betting fellow, my money would be on Carson Palmer. Here's why:
Carson Palmer has been a franchise quarterback before
This point is probably the simplest. Tebow hasn't shown that he can effectively lead a team as a starting quarterback. Palmer led the Cincinnati Bengals as the face of the franchise for seven seasons.
While his better statistical years came earlier in his career, he continued to show (even though his stats weren't as impressive) that he could make the throws he needed to in order to move the Bengals offense.
Tim Tebow is too raw to be an anchor for a team
Tebow's footwork is deplorable, his pocket presence is negligible and his overthrows are egregious. With a stat line through the third quarter of 8-for-25 with 87 passing yards and an interception, Tebow was not just your run-of-the-mill Luke McCown bad—he was historically bad.
Tebow hasn't shown that he can make the passes necessary to move the Broncos down the field. He gets sacked far too frequently, and defenses are figuring out that when they apply pressure up the middle, they can harass him into mistakes.
Carson Palmer will start to gel with his team and get into "game shape" soon
Palmer's performance against the Chiefs was an anomaly. As he gets more comfortable with his receivers and tight ends, he'll grow into a solid leader for the Raiders offense. He only had three days of practice before he was thrown to the dogs against the Chiefs. That's not enough time to be in NFL game shape.
Palmer will also have a better handle on the playbook after the bye week. Of course, being reunited with his reliable target TJ Houshmandzadeh will also help.
Tim Tebow isn't in the right situation to thrive
Tebow may yet find a role in the NFL as a change-of-pace "utility" quarterback (a la Kordell Stewart in the late 1990s and early 2000s). He won't get the chance to have that kind of role in Denver, however. As a first-round pick, Tebow commands a high salary. If he doesn't pan out as a starting quarterback for the Broncos, he probably won't be there next year.
Another team may find a useful role for him as a fullback or tight end (if he can enhance his pass-catching skills). But Tebow's destiny is not to be an anchor at quarterback for the Broncos. The only anchor playing quarterback this coming Sunday will be Palmer. He'll show why he was a great midseason signing for the playoff-hopeful Raiders.
Phil Hughes Damaso Marte Mariano Rivera Kerry Wood Francisco Cervelli Chad Moeller
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