Tim Tebow makes best case yet for Eagles roster spot

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The most-hyped battle for the third string quarterback job, perhaps in NFL history, reached its climax Thursday night when Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow alternated quarters in the preseason finale, bringing interest to an otherwise uninteresting game.

The official winner of the competition will be determined when Eagles coach Chip Kelly makes the final cuts sometime before the deadline Saturday at 4 p.m.

What will those next 24 hours or so be like?

“I’ve said this a lot of times, and I really mean it, I’m not going to worry about what I can’t control,” Tebow said. “It was a lot of fun out there tonight, and I had a blast.”

That’s because Tebow clearly had by far the better night in the Eagles’ 24-18 loss to the New York Jets on Thursday. The QB battle was the major point of interest in a game in which the Eagles sat 27 starters or first reserves, both to make sure they’ll be healthy for the season opener Sept. 14 in Atlanta, and to evaluate several players trying for the last of the 53 roster spots.

Tebow, who played the second and fourth quarter, was 11-for-17 passing for 189 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. He also ran four times for 32 yards. Barkley was just 4 of 9 for 45 yards with an interception, which came on the second play of the game.

“That wasn’t ideal,” Barkley said. “I don’t know if tonight was the deciding factor. We’ll see if that’s what it comes down to. I think over the course of this camp, I’ve shown I can play quarterback for this team.”

Kelly wasn’t tipping his hand as to any of the upcoming decisions. When asked specifically about the quarterbacks, he replied: “I thought it was up and down with both guys. We’ll take a look at the film and go from there.”

Either way, Tebow made a strong case to be on an NFL roster for the first time since the 2012 season ended. He was cut by the New England Patriots at the end of training camp in 2013. Tebow had been out of football until the Eagles signed him in April after he had spent time working with former pitching coach Tom House on his throwing motion and accuracy.

Barkley, meanwhile, had been the Eagles’ third-string quarterback the past two seasons. But he hadn’t done much to distinguish himself during that time. And that remained true into training camp, when he couldn’t separate himself from Tebow.

In many ways, the tone for the night was set on the second play of the game, when Barkley underthrew Josh Huff and the ball was intercepted by Darrin Walls.

Tebow, meanwhile, was on target most of the night. He completed a 45-yard deep ball to Freddie Martino over the middle in the fourth quarter and feathered an 18-yard pass into the back of the end zone to Rasheed Bailey just before halftime.

That pass to Martino was about the only compliment Kelly paid to any of the quarterbacks.

“I thought he threw a nice ball,” Kelly said. “That was the proper read and he put it up there and gave Freddie a chance to get underneath it and make the catch.”

Coming into Thursday’s game, both quarterbacks were ordinary at best. They were barely over 50 percent passing in the previous three games. Barkley was 23-for-43 for 306 yards, Tebow 10-for-19 for 97 yards. But Tebow had 50 yards rushing and a touchdown. That’s an element that Barkley, a pocket passer, doesn’t provide.

On Tebow’s first drive, he hit Raheem Mostert for 24 yards. Mostert dropped Tebow’s next pass. It was one of three Tebow passes that were dropped in the first half as Tebow was 6-for-10 for 105 yards. Mostert finished with 69 yards rushing and 93 yards receiving.

Tebow had a great opportunity to score when Jaylen Watkins intercepted Jets quarterback Matt Flynn, giving the Eagles the ball at the Jets’ 4. But Tebow handed off three straight times to Mostert and the Eagles settled for a field goal.

Tebow’s best drive came on the final possession of the first half. The Eagles took over at their 15. Tebow escaped the rush and picked up 22 yards running down the right sideline. After an incompletion, Tebow completed two straight passes — for 28 yards and 23 to Mostert and Quron Pratt, respectively — getting the Eagles down to the Jets’ 12.

Two plays later, Tebow hit Bailey in the end zone.

Barkley only got one series in the third quarter because the Jets held the ball for more than nine minutes on the opening drive. He couldn’t do anything with the chance. Tebow, meanwhile, kept his run going when he returned in the fourth quarter.

He faced a 4th-and-6 from the Jets’ 9 when he started running to his left before finding Martino in the end zone. It was vintage Tebow as he rolled out to his left, as if he was going to run it in before deciding at the last second to throw it. Martino dove and caught the ball while dragging both his feet in bounds.

“It was a lot of fun,” Tebow said. “I love getting the chance to run the 2-minute drill. You got into a rhythm, got some momentum going. That’s something I do feel comfortable about.”

There was no more Tebow could do. He had made his case to make the roster. Now it’s up to Kelly.

Martin Frank also writes for the (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal

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