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Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 10:

Cassel excelling in play-action: The Broncos will have to try to find a way to limit Kansas City from executing play-action plays. Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel is eighth in the NFL in play-action passing, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Cassel has completed 33 of 49 passes (a solid 67.3 percent) for 383 yards and two touchdowns on play-action plays.

Denver’s receivers are not dynamic: The Chiefs’ secondary is not preparing for an overly explosive group of receivers. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Denver is 31st in the NFL in yards after the catch. Just 606 of its 1,515 receiving yards -- 40 percent -- have been gained after the catch.

No coaching drama: The first Broncos-Chiefs meeting last season is most remembered for Kansas City coach Todd Haley pointing a finger at then-Denver coach Josh McDaniels and refusing to shake his hand after a lopsided Denver win. I’d be shocked if Haley and new Denver coach John Fox engage in any shenanigans after Sunday’s game.

Can Denver continue QB-RB ground attack? The Broncos would love to have the same ground attack they enjoyed in Oakland last week. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Denver quarterback Tim Tebow and running back Willis McGahee became the first quarterback-running back combination to rush for 100-plus yards each since 2006, when Michael Vick (quarterback) and Jerious Norwood (running back) accomplished the feat. McGahee had 163 yards and Tebow had 117 yards.

Can Chiefs protect Arrowhead? If the Chiefs (4-4) are going to stay in the AFC West race, they need to protect their home field better. Last week, the Chiefs were beaten 31-3 by previously winless Miami at home. It was the second time this season that Kansas City lost at Arrowhead by at least 28 points. It’s been a recent problem. Kansas City has lost at home by at least 28 points four times since 2009. Before then, it had just one home loss by that many points in the history of Arrowhead Stadium.

Tim Tebow’s promotion to Denver’s starting quarterback was big news last week when the Broncos pulled Kyle Orton and inserted the second-season quarterback in the starting lineup.

The AFC West has been dominated by the Carson Palmer trade to Oakland this week. But with Tebow getting ready to play at Miami, here are some things you need to know about Tebow Time.

Dilfer breaks it down: One of the best NFL analysts alive, in my opinion, is ESPN’s Trent Dilfer. The former NFL quarterback is the goods. He has some tremendous insight on what defenses will do to Tebow in an Insider piece.

Tebow will have support: The Dolphins have sold 20,000 tickets to Sunday’s game since Tebow was made the starter Oct. 11. Plus, the 2008 Florida Gators national championship team -- Tebow was the star -- will be honored during the game. It is basically going to be a home game for Tebow.

Expect Tebow to run: According to ESPN Stats & Information, Tebow has had 32 designed runs since the start of the 2010 season. He has played just three-and-half games. It is tied for the second most in the NFL behind Michael Vick, who has had 46 designed runs since the start of last season.

Expect Miami to Blitz: According to ESPN Stats & Information, Tebow was much better against the standard four-man pass-rush than when being blitzed by five or pass-rushers. Tebow has five pass play of 30 yards or more. All of them have come against a standard rush. He has completed 54.4 of his passes for with three touchdowns against a standard rush. He has completed 39.1 percent of his passes with one touchdown against a blitz.

I didn’t create any waves in our quarterback Power Rankings that were released Tuesday.

All 10 of the quarterbacks I voted for made the top 10. The only variation from my poll and the final ranking was the flip-flop of Baltimore’s Joe Flacco and the New York Giants’ Eli Manning. I had Flacco ninth and Manning 10th. In the Power Rankings, Manning was ninth and Flacco was 10th in a tie with Dallas' Tony Romo.

The only time I struggled during my ranking was at 10th place. I chose Manning because of his Super Bowl ring over the likes of Romo, Chicago’s Jay Cutler, Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman and St. Louis Sam Bradford. In all, I considered 18 quarterbacks. It’s a pretty strong quarterback league these days.

I think there are seven elite quarterbacks -- New England’s Tom Brady, Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning, New Orleans’ Drew Brees, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger, San Diego’s Philip Rivers and Philadelphia’s Michael Vick. I think Rivers is in a good spot at No. 6. He’s clearly the best quarterback in the NFL without a Super Bowl ring and it was good to see other voters agree. Rivers was fifth on three ballots and sixth on the other five.

Kansas City’s Matt Cassel received one 10th-place vote. I considered Cassel, but I want to see more development before I place him on this impressive list.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles might have not made it past the quarterfinals of the chase to be the “Madden 12” cover man. However, there still is an AFC West connection.

In a stunning upset, Cleveland running back Peyton Hillis beat Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers in the semifinals in the SportsNation poll that will result in the winner being on the next Madden cover. Hillis will face Philadelphia’s Michael Vick in the final.

Hillis is a former Denver running back. The Broncos drafted him out of Arkansas in the seventh round in 2008, and he had success as a rookie. However, he was buried by first-year Denver coach Josh McDaniels in 2009 and then traded to the Browns last year in package that brought No. 3 quarterback Brady Quinn. Hillis had instant success in Cleveland, rushing for 1,177 yards.

Hillis was immensely popular in Denver and many fans were upset he was traded. His trade was considered one of McDaniels’ biggest mistakes in his 23-month stay in Denver.

Here are some other AFC West-relate nuggets Monday afternoon:

The Chiefs and Raiders are being connected to Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones. The speedster has become a hot draft name to watch since he ran a 4.3 40-yard dash last week.

It’s being reported that the Eagles could trade third-string quarterback Mike Kafka. The Raiders showed interest in him prior to last year’s draft when the Eagles took him in the fourth round.

The Kansas City Star reasons that the Chiefs might go for offense in the draft.

Abilene Christian receiver Edmond Gates is reportedly visiting the Broncos. The speedster will likely be a mid-round pick.

There will not be an AFC West “Madden NFL 12” cover man.

In a SportsNation poll, Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles was beaten by Cleveland running back Peyton Hillis in the quarterfinals. Hillis, a former Denver running back, beat Charles 60 percent to 40 percent.

I thought Charles would move on to the Final Four. He’s a more dynamic player than Hillis, and, in my opinion, more qualified to be a cover man. However, Charles will have to wait until next year to have another shot. If Charles, who was second in the NFL in rushing yards last year, continues to improve and leads the league in rushing in 2011, I think he could have a shot at the next cover.

Hillis will face Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In the other semifinal, Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick will face Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson.

What do you think of Charles’ defeat? Do you think it was warranted or do you think Charles was robbed? Fill up the comment section below with your thoughts.

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers finished fourth in the Associated Press NFL offensive player of the year vote.

New England quarterback Tom Brady won the award. He received 21 votes. Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick finished with 11 votes and Houston running back Arian Foster received seven votes. Rivers received five votes.

Atlanta receiver Roddy White, Philadelphia receiver DeSean Jackson and Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers each received two of the 50 votes.

Rivers, 29, led the NFL with 4,710 passing yards. Rivers threw 30 touchdowns passes and he was intercepted 13 times. His season passer rating was 101.8.

Now that the San Diego Chargers (8-7) will not be going to the playoffs for the first time since 2005, here are four talking points to focus on in the short and long term.

Turner’s future: As soon as the Chargers delivered that stinker of a loss at Cincinnati on Sunday, Turner’s job security became a topic. It’s not surprising. It seems like Turner’s job security has been questioned almost since he took over in San Diego in 2007, even though Turner won the AFC West in his first three seasons. It’s natural that his future is being questioned now. Still, I expect Turner to stay. He signed a contract extension last year and he has the support of the front office. Unless San Diego ownership unexpectedly decides to make wholesale changes, I think Turner is safe.

Rivers’ MVP candidacy: Quarterback Philip Rivers was a legitimate MVP candidate all season. But with the Chargers out of the race, Rivers has no chance of winning the award. He could finish third behind fellow quarterbacks Tom Brady and Michael Vick. Rivers had a great season, but he’s not going to be the NFL’s MVP this season.

The running backs: The Chargers have a nice group of running backs in Mike Tolbert, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles. But it will be a surprise of all three return in 2011. Mathews, the No. 12 overall pick in 2010, will be back for sure. The Chargers have talked to Tolbert about a long-term deal. If he isn’t given a new deal, he could attract some interest as a restricted free agent. The Chargers have paid Sproles more than $13 million in the past two years. His production has slipped some even though he is valuable. Still, something may have to give and I can see Sproles leave as a free agent.

Additions: The Chargers’ extremely high rankings in total offense and total defense show this is a talented team and the presence of Rivers will always make San Diego dangerous. You have to assume that San Diego won’t deal with the injuries it did in 2010 (Rivers completed passes to 17 different players) and its special teams will be more stable next year. So, the Chargers don’t need a whole lot. Plus, San Diego is never overly active in free agency. Yet the Chargers are stacked with draft picks. Areas San Diego could target include receiver, defensive line and linebacker.

San Diego coach Norv Turner marvels at the season his quarterback, Philip Rivers, is putting together. Here is an argument for Rivers being the NFL MVP. I think Rivers deserves serious consideration for the MVP, but I bet he finishes behind New England quarterback Tom Brady and Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick. Go ahead and start the East-coast bias rant if you like.

The Chargers signed linebacker Brandon Moore. He hasn’t played in the NFL since 2007 with the 49ers. San Diego cut linebacker Darry Beckwith to make room for Moore.

Running back Thomas Jones influence on the Chiefs has been felt on the field and in the locker room. His teammates have nominated him for a prestigious league award that has a rich Kansas City history.

Here are some bright spots in an otherwise miserable year in Denver.

UPDATE: The Raiders signed punter Danny Baugher to the practice squad. Star Oakland punter Shane Lechler is dealing with a hamstring injury. The move to bring in Baugher was smart. The Raiders can get him acclimated in practice while seeing if Lechler can play. If Lechler can’t play, Oakland can simply promote Baugher at the last minute without worrying about who’ll replace Lechler. Still, the Raiders need to keep the game-changing Lechler on the field if they can.

Tim Tebow has already made NFL history with his arms and legs.

In his first NFL start, Tebow became the third player in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass of 30 or more yards and run for a touchdown of 40 or more yards. The other quarterbacks were Kordell Stewart in 2000 and Michael Vick in 2002.

The accomplishment isn’t to suggest that Tebow is going to have a brilliant NFL career or be a consistent run-pass threat. But it’s an indication that Tebow can make a mark in the NFL.

Tebow started because starter Kyle Orton had a rib injury and the Broncos were 3-10 entering the game. There was no downside to playing Tebow. After his performance Sunday, there probably will be no downside in letting him play in the final two games of the season.

For the most part, you have to consider Tebow’s starting debut a success. It is irrelevant that Denver lost in Tebow’s debut as a starter 39-23. Denver was expected to be blown out in this game. He kept the undermanned Broncos in the game until the second half on the road. The game didn’t seem too big to Tebow. He wasn’t a wide-eyed rookie; he looked like he belonged.

Tebow certainly wasn’t polished or refined, but we knew he wouldn’t be. But he moved Denver’s offense. He made plays with his arms and his feet. Tebow completed 8 of 16 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. His passer rating of 100.5 was the highest ever by a Denver quarterback in his starting debut. Yes, even higher than John Elway’s.

Tebow ran for 78 yards, including an impressive 40-yard touchdown run, on eight carries. Tebow’s first extensive NFL action showed that he has potential and that he can have an impact. And he will only get better. I’m not saying Tebow is going to be a superstar soon. But there weren’t any immediate reasons to think he’s going to be a bust.

He showed he has a chance to be a solid NFL player.

I expect him to get more chances in the Broncos’ final two games in Denver. Why would Denver go back to Orton for the final two games? Denver fans will need a reason to brave the cold in the next two weeks. Watching Tebow is a perfect excuse. If Tebow makes strides in the next two games, it's not out of the question to think the new Denver coach will seriously consider making him the starter next season.

The Tebow Era started Sunday and there were enough good things shown to think it should continue indefinitely.

Weekend mail call:

Mike from Shamokin, Pa., wants to know which quarterbacks available in 2011 the Raiders could be interested in.

Bill Williamson: Mike, I think you are on the right track. Unless Jason Campbell shows he can be a consistent player in the final five games of the season, Oakland will, at least, bring in some competition for him. Bruce Gradkowski could be re-signed, but he’s probably backup material. He is too injury-prone and too limited to be considered the starter of the future. The problem is, there aren’t many prospective free agents that are intriguing. The list of free-agent quarterbacks is weak as usual. Guys like Kerry Collins, Marc Bulger, Matt Leinart and Brodie Croyle are on the list. Michael Vick will, in all likelihood, return to Philadelphia. That would mean Kevin Kolb might be available through a trade. He might be expensive, and Oakland doesn’t own its first-round pick, which, of course, means the Raiders won’t be in the mix for the top rookie quarterbacks, either. So, right now, the 2011 quarterback options don’t look great for Oakland. But you never know what will happen. There will be some quarterbacks available who we didn’t originally think would be. Did anyone think Jay Cutler and Donovan McNabb would be traded in the past two offseasons? This is a situation worth watching because we know the Raiders will probably be looking at quarterbacks in the offseason again.

Chris from Chicago wants to know my thoughts on Denver’s “spygate” scandal.

BW: I’m not going to get into theories of what did or didn’t happen. The NFL investigated, and it concluded that Denver video director Steve Scarnecchia acted alone. But the team and coach Josh McDaniels were each fined $50,000, in part, because McDaniels didn’t report the incident when he found out. That’s all we know. But I do think the Broncos should be ashamed of the situation, and I think McDaniels is responsible because he is the head coach. He is supposed to know everything that happens in the organization. There is no room for an incident like this in the NFL. I know there are a lot of embarrassed and bothered people in both the Broncos’ organization and around the NFL.

Dylan from Villisca, Iowa, wants to know if Matt Cassel could be in the MVP chase.

BW: He’s an underdog, but he has a shot. Cassel is No. 7 in this week’s MVP Watch on ESPN.com. He’s a candidate for sure. Cassel has 22 touchdowns and has thrown just four interceptions this season for the 7-4 Chiefs, who lead the AFC West by one game. This is how Cassel can win it: The Chiefs would have run the table or lose just once, and he’d have to toss another 15 touchdowns or so. It’s a tall order, but Cassel has been hot lately. It’s not out of the question.

The big story in the NFL this week is the shocking quarterback change in Philadelphia where Michael Vick is replacing season-opening quaretrback Kevin Kolb.

Sound familiar?

While the Bruce Gradkowski-Jason Campbell saga hasn’t captivated the NFL landscape as much as the Vick-Kolb story, there are similarities.

Like Vick, Gradkowski was chosen in Oakland because he gave his offense energy and he moved the ball better than the starter did. The difference in Philadelphia is Kolb got hurt before Vick got his chance. Campbell was never hurt. The team benched him after six quarters on Sunday.

After Gradkowski gave the Oakland offense energy and led the Raiders to a win over the Rams, Oakland stuck with him. Like Vick in Philadelphia, Gradkowski will stay the quarterback in Oakland until he proves he doesn’t deserve the job.

Both Vick and Gradkowski are being given a chance to succeed because they are better equipped to succeed with a poor offensive line. Kolb and Campbell are drop-back quarterbacks, while Vick and Gradkowski can make plays with their feet and extend plays with their feet.

After Campbell was constantly hammered and was virtually paralyzed by a poor line, Gradkowski came in and made plays despite poor protection. He was sacked in the second half against the Rams.

Like Vick, Gradkowski is a playmaker. Still, in both cities, there are risks involved and there are questions why Vick and Gradkowski weren’t the choices before the season. Whatever happens, these are both big stories in the NFL as Week 3 approaches.

Mid-week mail call:

Bryce from Tucson, Ariz., wants to know if I think the AFC West is underrated.

Bill Williamson: Interesting question, Bryce. It’s awfully early. But after two weeks, I’d say there is a chance this division could be better than expected. There are only two divisions in the NFL where every team is at least 1-1: the AFC South and the AFC West. So, it’s been a nice start. Considering this division plays the weak NFC West, the victories could add up.

Mark from Reading, Pa., wants to know if I think the Raiders will go after Michael Vick next year.

BW: We have a long way to go. First, let’s see what happens this season between Bruce Gradkowski and Jason Campbell. There is sure to be plenty of drama in Oakland this year without us worrying about next year. But if neither Gradkowski nor Campbell appears like the long-term answer after the season, Oakland will be on the hunt for a quarterback again.

Tony from San Jose wants to know what I think of Oakland rookie offensive lineman Jared Veldheer.

BW: He is definitely an interesting player and has been put on the fast track. The 6-foot-8 Veldheer was forced on the field at center in the season opener before giving way to original starter Samson Satele. Veldheer was made the starter despite the fact that he came from a Division II school and had limited experience at center. It was clear Oakland just wanted to get him on the field. That became clear again in Week 2 when he rotated with Mario Henderson at left tackle. Oakland is doing some unusual things to get Veldheer playing time. It may be a bit strange now, but it should pay off down the road because this is a talented player who is getting valuable experience.

The Great Debate series wouldn’t be complete this year without a discussion about Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow.

Tebow is one of the most talked-about players in the NFL and he hasn’t even played in a regular-season game. The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from Florida is a polarizing wonder. Tebow’s NFL future has been serious water-cooler conversation ever since Denver shocked the NFL by trading three draft picks to move up and take him with the No. 25 pick in April. Everybody has an opinion and the opinions vary.

And that is the case with ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton and AFC West blogger Bill Williamson. Clayton is taking the stance that Tebow’s game will not translate to the NFL, while Williamson believes it will.

Let’s get started:

John Clayton: Bill, we were at Broncos camp at the same time, which is why I’m surprised we have come to such different opinions. Because I know you so well, I know you are an optimist. Like most people, you would like to see Tebow succeed as a quarterback. I would like to see him succeed too. At the moment, though, I don’t see it in the immediate future and when I say immediate future, I’m thinking the next two, maybe three, years.

Remember how we watched Tebow throw with the proper mechanics in warm-ups. He kept the ball high and was consistent with his release point in pre-practice. Then we watched practice and some of the old habits returned. He would throw the ball with more of a sidearm delivery. At times, there would be a little hitch in the throw. The release was slow and sometimes the passes weren’t accurate.

In sports, it’s hard to change habits. While it’s possible for him to fix the delivery in time, it’s going to take at least two years. I give Josh McDaniels credit, he recognized the dilemma and covered the organization by giving Kyle Orton a one-year contract extension. Both of us agree Orton is good, not great. It’s also nice that he recognizes that both of us respect his abilities, leadership and the way he runs an offense.

What I like most about watching Tebow is his dedication. He won’t fail because of a lack of effort. How about the extra stretching and muscle-building exercises he does at practice? Too bad we can’t find a "throw doctor’" we can send him to for a quick fix.

Bill Williamson: Mechanics is a fair enough place to start on Tebow. That, of course, is the biggest knock on him. He has an awkward delivery, there’s no doubt about it. But I don’t think it’s a sure sign of failure for a quarterback. Philip Rivers doesn’t have the prettiest motion in the league, nor did the late Steve McNair. Rivers is an elite player and McNair was an NFL MVP. They were able to adjust in time and Tebow will have time.

Even though we will see Tebow as a rookie in special formations such as the Wildcat, he probably won’t start until 2012 unless there is an injury to Orton. Rivers and McNair sat and they were better for it. Plus, Tebow already has made strides in a short time under McDaniels’ guidance. He’s a much better quarterback today than he was the day he was drafted four-plus months ago. He got better as the offseason program went on and he made improvements in training camp and in the preseason. Tebow’s delivery appeared to shorten as the preseason went on. He is working on improving himself. Imagine what is going to happen when the learning curve continues for two years?

Plus, several NFL folks I have talked to, including Rivers, say that Tebow doesn’t necessarily have to refine his entire motion, just naturally work on it and still be the player he is comfortable being. I think taking this player’s delivery and making that the premise for his ultimate failure may be a tad short-sighted.

JC: Because you covered the Broncos in Denver, you can appreciate this: Denver is one of the toughest cities to be an NFL quarterback, and I think the Broncos made a big mistake by hyping him up after the draft.

The biggest mistake was making him a first-round pick. Quarterbacks taken in the first round tread on John Elway’s turf. Those who tread on Elway’s turf get worse than turf toe. They eventually become unemployed. The worst I remember was Tommy Maddox. He came to town when Elway was still a top quarterback. He eventually had to go into Arena Football and then the Steelers to have any kind of a successful career. The quarterback expectations eventually caught up to Brian Griese and Jake Plummer.

Now, here comes Tebow, perhaps the greatest college leader of our time. By him being taken in the first round, Tebow jerseys flew out of stores. Fans expected his college skills to translate into the NFL with instant success. Columnists in town took their sides, and some of the most influential called for McDaniels to have guts and just go with Tebow. Had that happened, Tebow might be destined for the Arena League.

In Denver, as you know, good isn’t good enough when it comes to quarterbacks. Griese was kicked away because he was a 60-percent thrower but a 50-percent winner. Plummer’s time ran out because he was a 50-percent thrower and a 60-percent winner. The standard in Denver is Elway, the ultimate arm and the ultimate winner. He carried the Broncos. Tebow can’t do that right away and I’m not sold he ever will. Even if he fixes his bad throwing mechanics, he has the chance to start his career as a 50-percent thrower. Because the talent around him is suspect, Orton, who is good, is going to struggle to make the Broncos a 50-percent winner this season. That means Tebow would have better than a 50-50 chance of being a disaster.

BW: John, I think any team that would have drafted Tebow would have pumped him up. It goes with the territory of drafting a quarterback in the first round. Select Tebow in the first round and the situation magnifies greatly. This was a great draft with several top-flight players and Tebow stole the draft. The draft was all about the No. 25 pick. That wasn’t the case last year when Miami drafted Illinois cornerback Vontae Davis at No.25.

Tebow brings electricity. It’s because he has great intangibles. I know intangibles don’t pay the bills, but they can be a great difference-maker. Tebow has special intangibles. People gravitate toward him, including his teammates.

This whole Tebow Mania deal in Denver had potential to be a disaster. Tebow’s jersey instantly became the biggest seller in the NFL and Tebow is Topic A in Denver. This is the most popular team in the state of Colorado and all anyone wants to talk about is the rookie quarterback. That could have led to jealousy and hostility. It hasn’t happened.

It hasn’t happened because Tebow immediately earned the respect of his veteran teammates by being humble and working hard. Veterans such as future Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey have been wowed by Tebow’s work ethic and attitude. Remember that hideous Friar Tuck haircut Tebow's teammates gave him prior to an open scrimmage? Tebow didn’t fret. He embraced the hazing. He’s a team guy.

During the preseason, his teammates have remarked how Tebow already has controlled the huddle. The Broncos believe in Tebow just as his teammates at Florida did. Elway and John Lynch have raved about Tebow’s intangibles after meeting him. If you impress these two guys, you have something going for you.

JC: After we left Broncos camp, I watched Tebow’s first preseason game and came to another disturbing conclusion. Because Tebow is fearless, I worry about his health.

That touchdown run he had in his first preseason game was exciting, but it also reminded me of the pounding Tebow took in college trying to get Florida to be a great college power. As a college quarterback, Tebow was bigger and more powerful than a lot of the linebackers and defensive backs trying to tackle him. In the pros, he’s a target and I worry about him getting concussions or more injuries. That preseason touchdown run bruised his ribs, and the injury was a result of Tebow not playing it safe. That’s the style that made him so good in college and it’s the style that could make his career ever so short in the NFL.

As great as Tebow is as an athlete, he runs a 4.7 40, which isn’t particularly fast for a NFL quarterback. His footwork isn’t the greatest either. In many ways, Tebow looks like a combination of Steve Grogan and Joe Kapp. Sorry for going old school on you, buddy, but the point I’m trying to make is what worked for Grogan and Kapp back in the day doesn’t work now in a league dominated by great passers.

Michael Vick is a better athlete and better thrower than Tebow will ever be and I’m not sold he can be a winning quarterback in the post-2005 NFL, which is dominated by quarterbacks who are accurate and can run the no-huddle flawlessly. Vince Young is the ultimate compromise that might work because he’s a 6-foot-5 quarterback who is faster than Tebow and is always looking downfield when he rolls out of the pocket. I fear Tebow tucking the ball away and just running, absorbing a big hit.

I do think Tebow’s in good hands with McDaniels now that Orton will be the starter for the next two years. I just hope he stays healthy, which he will if they groom him to be an eventual backup and see where he is as a developmental quarterback by 2012.

BW: John, I don’t think there is any gray area. I don’t think Tebow is going to be a decent backup. He is either going to be a star or be a failed experiment. And I don’t see him failing. He is simply not going to allow himself to fail.

In one of my conversations with Tebow, he admitted that he is afraid of failure. He is afraid to let down his coaches, teammates and family. The fire burns. That’s what McDaniels saw during the famous combine meeting when the Broncos’ brass fell in love with Tebow.

I have talked to countless folks about Tebow. There are two schools of thought when it comes to whether his game translates to the NFL. One is that Tebow is so focused and so determined that there is no way he’ll fail. The other is that he already has gotten all he can out of limited ability and has peaked as a player. Two head coaches have told me that, as have a couple of general managers.

However, there are many personnel folks who think Tebow will thrive under McDaniels’ guidance. I point to the immense improvement he already has made as evidence that Tebow has not peaked. He learns from his mistakes and he gets better. He reads defenses and senses oncoming defenders better than he did a month ago. He handles the pocket better than he did earlier in camp. Tebow is an ascending player. There’s little doubt in my mind.

Now, this is just piling on.

According to a poll by Forbes, Oakland owner Al Davis is the No. 2 most disliked figure in sports. He’s right behind Michael Vick.

Come on now.

Sure, Davis has built a tremendous reputation of being a renegade and a salty personality over the years. But what’s so controversial about has he done in the past year?

He’s an 80-year-old man who is trying to turn around his franchise. Sure, times have been tough in Oakland and Davis has to absorb a major percentage of the blame for Oakland’s lot in the NFL. But there are far more controversial figures in the sports world these days.

Davis scored higher (or lower, I guess) on the list than the likes of Ben Roethlisberger, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant and Alex Rodriquez.

Wow, tough crowd.

I guess Davis will forever be known as a villain type in the sports world, but there are many more people currently deserving of the “disliked” label than Davis.

I’ve said this many times before and I will again in the future, but every dealing I’ve had with Davis has been entertaining and pleasant. There’s no doubt, Davis has an edge to him, but I’ve never come away from dealing with him with anything over than a smile on my face. But the beauty of Davis is, he probably likes this news. He’d probably be more upset if he was on a list of good guys in sports.

» NFC Big Question: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

What are the Denver Broncos going to do with their quarterbacks on game days?

The Broncos have an interesting situation on their hands.

They have too many quarterbacks. The quarterback of the future -- first-round pick Tim Tebow -- is on the fast track. He is not going to be brought along slowly. Thus, the Broncos want him in uniform on game days. Don’t expect to see Tebow as an inactive emergency quarterback even if he remains the No. 3 quarterback all season.

The Broncos, at the very least, probably will get Tebow involved in a few plays every game before he takes over as the full-time starter. Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said the team probably will design some packages for Tebow on a game-to-game basis. He probably will get some action in the Wildcat formation and perhaps in some red-zone packages to utilize his mobility and strength as a ball carrier.

However, for Tebow to get an opportunity to play in these special situations, he’ll need to be active. That means Denver probably will have to activate Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn (who probably will be Orton’s backup now and Tebow’s backup in the future) and Tebow. Usually, teams have only two quarterbacks active on the 45-man game-day roster.

Philadelphia activated three quarterbacks last season when it had Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick. Like Tebow will be early in his career, Vick was activated for several packages.

In the end, this shouldn’t hurt the Broncos on game day. The activation of a third quarterback simply means an extra special-teams player or a deep backup will be inactive. Denver will surely make that trade for the chance to get Tebow on the field.