Jets (5-4) at Broncos (4-5), 8:20 p.m. Eastern, NFL Network and Ch. 11 in New York area
Line: Jets by 6.
The Broncos won, 17-10, last week against the Chiefs, an opponent that had lost by scores of 41-7, 48-3, and 31-3 (to the Dolphins) this season. The Broncos netted just 312 yards of offense, and their quarterback, Tim Tebow, completed just two of his eight passes. When running backs Willis McGahee (hamstring, questionable for Thursday) and Knowshon Moreno (knee, out) were injured, Coach John Fox elected to give the third-stringer Lance Ball 30 carries, with Spencer Larsen, a converted linebacker, taking 5 more handoffs as a change of pace. The Broncos elected to run 10 times on third down with more than 4 yards to go, converting just one of those plays.
It takes some warping of reality and splintering of rational thought to watch a team hand off to an ex-linebacker almost as often as it passes the ball, surrender on nearly every third down and score 17 points against an awful opponent, and reinterpret all of this as a sign of its quarterback’s singular greatness.
But ignoring the obvious is the American way. The Broncos are not trying to hide an inept passer behind child-proofed game plans that can work only against terrible defenses. Instead, they are ushering in a new era of running-based football behind the paradigm-shattering talents of a player who hands off like no other.
Fox even dismissed the need for a passing game this week. This is offense based upon the withholding of success, austerity by design, and Fox is making a great show of being thrilled with it.
Of course, there’s a chance that the simplest solution is the correct one: the Broncos have gutted out close wins against bad opponents but they will collapse against a strong defense, and option-style gadget plays have a limited N.F.L. shelf life. But then, even Occam’s razor may be no match for Tebow Mania.
Pick: Jets
(Pick does not reflect the betting line)
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