Tonight’s preseason games are the most meaningless things ever.
Except to the guys who are playing in them.
For many, including Tim Tebow, it’s perhaps a last chance to prove they’re worth an NFL roster spot.
While Tebow had a clunker the last time he played, throwing for fewer yards than you did (minus-1 against the Bucs, for the dreaded 0.0 rating), he still has some believers.
While it helps to have the owner’s support, there’s a real sense that the Patriots are thinking seriously about keeping him around as a project for the future.
“He’s great to work with, outstanding,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said, via Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “Smart, works hard; football is important to him.”
While that’s standard Belichick patter, it’s at least the kind of standard patter with an undercurrent of respect.
So whether they’re hoping he can be a backup in 2014 (assuming a market for flipping Ryan Mallett by then) or want to use him as an offensive wrinkle this year, Tebow could make it easier on his patrons if he actually didn’t stink tonight.