Bill Belichick has done the seemingly impossible in New England. He turned Tim Tebow into a non-story, a nearly forgotten player.
But sometimes Tebow just can't help but turn in an unforgettable performance that makes him a story.
The Patriots' No. 3 quarterback completed only 1 of 7 passes for negative-1 yard with an interception during the team's 25-21 preseason victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday night. Tebow had another deep throw to rookie wide receiver Aaron Dobson that should have been picked off, but the Bucs dropped it. Tebow's accuracy was very rough.
Tebow rushed for 30 yards, but his struggles will raise the question of if he will make the Patriots' 53-man roster. New England only is playing him at quarterback, and the Patriots sometimes only have carried two quarterbacks on their roster during the Tom Brady era. Tebow ultimately is competing against wide receivers and defensive backs who are trying to make the roster with special-teams skills.
"I feel like I'm fighting to get better every day," Tebow said when NFL.com Albert Breer asked him about his roster status.
Belichick has spent time installing special plays for Tebow at quarterback, but the results haven't been there in the preseason. Another performance like this would put Tebow at risk of falling on the wrong side of the roster bubble.
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