FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Rex Ryan expects Tim Tebow to be "ready to go" for the New York Jets' next game.
Whether the backup quarterback actually plays Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals is another matter.
Tebow is recovering from two broken ribs that kept him on the sideline last Thursday night in New York's 49-19 loss to New England. He was in uniform but didn't play, with Ryan saying he could have come in but would have been used only in an emergency. Tebow revealed after the game that he was injured two weeks ago at Seattle.
"I'm not expecting anything to change as far as his availability, but we'll see how the week goes, to see if there's any significant change or anything else," Ryan said Monday. "I know he was active for the game, but we'll see. I know he's getting treatment and things like that."
Initial X-rays after the game against the Seahawks were negative, and Tebow played three snaps at St. Louis last week. Ryan said that the limited playing time was more a product of the Rams showing certain defensive looks than the injury. When the pain worsened early last week, Tebow underwent an MRI exam and CT scan, which revealed the fractures.
Tebow was listed as questionable for the game against the Patriots, but was made active -- instead of third-stringer Greg McElroy -- after speaking with Ryan and undergoing a pregame evaluation. Tebow refused any pain-killing injections before the game.
"I considered putting Greg up and having (Tebow down), but he's like, 'Coach, I'm fine. I can go,'" Ryan said. "He wanted to. He came to the stadium early and he was ready to play -- in his eyes and in the doctors' and trainers' that he could play. That was why I made the decision to have him there as a backup quarterback only."
Tebow has had little impact on the offense as the backup to Mark Sanchez, averaging just seven snaps a game. He is 6-of-7 passing for 39 yards and has rushed 29 times for 87 yards, but plays regularly on special teams as the personal punt protector. Ryan was not comfortable having Tebow even in that role against the Patriots after hearing that the quarterback's breathing wasn't normal the day before the game.
"We had him there in just an emergency role," Ryan said. "What that role would have been exactly, if something were to happen -- would we have just handed the ball off a little bit? That's probably what would have happened. Again, I wouldn't have put a guy out there if somebody with a lot more knowledge than me were to tell me that he's not ready to go."
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
