Stay strong everybody. There will be a time when we'll no longer speculate about Tim Tebow's playing time. We're getting close ... but we're not there.
In "Shawshank Redemption" terms, we're roughly halfway through the raw sewage pipe.
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"Mark (Sanchez) is going to be on the field for the lion's share," New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum told ESPN Radio on Friday morning. "You guys will see. His playing time will be 80-90 percent over the 16 games. He's clearly our quarterback."
Longtime Jets beat man Rich Cimini did the math off Tannebaum's assessment, calculating that Tebow would get 206 snaps -- or about 13 per game -- if Sanchez plays 80 percent of the time. If Sanchez is on the field for 90 percent, Tebow would get 103 snaps, or 6.5 per game.
Of course, Tannenbaum's prediction ultimately means little. Actual playing time will come down to how effective the Tebowcat (my term, not theirs) is in the season's early weeks. If Tebow gashes the Buffalo Bills for 75 yards and a score this weekend, he's sure to be worked into the gameplan more than originally anticipated.
And if Tebow isn't effective? Well, MetLife Stadium will have a lot of tailgating fans wearing the jersey of the punt protector this season.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.
