Belichick says Tebow can wing it

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FOXBORO -- Tim Tebow's completion percentage is 48.5 percent so far this season. That puts him squarely at 32nd in the NFL. If, as Bill Belichick so often says, a quarterback's accuracy is the most important attribute he can have in the passing game, Tebow would have to be downgraded as a thrower, right? Wrong. On Wednesday, the Patriots head coach stemmed a question about Tebow's inconsistent aim by breaking in with, "I don't agree with any of that. I think his passing is good. He was good in college, a very productive passer in college and he throws it well in this league. Throws it good short, throws it intermediate, throws it deep. He's got some very good throws, as good as anybody you want to put in there."Yeah. No. Not as good as anyone you want to put in there unless Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees were just on a plane that went down in the Andes. But there are elements thatat least mitigate Tebow's inaccuracy. One is his ability to run with the football. He's got 517 yards on 94 carries (5.5 average), so that at least somewhat offsets the facthe doesn't make gobs of yards on passing alone. The other element?He is third -- THIRD -- in the NFL infourth-quarter passing. Check this: Tebow is 96-for-198 overall, throwing for 1,290 yards and (a very impressive) 11 touchdowns and two picks. In the fourth quarter, he is 49 for 80 for 732 yards, six touchdowns and one pick. He is completing passes at 61.3 percent in the fourth quarter. His 55-for-118completion percentage (46 percent) for 558 yards (4.72 yards per attempt) in the first three quarters would get him hooked every time if he wasn't so damn effective late. Which has been the story of the NFL. Asked if Tebow can throw as well in the pocket as he does on the move, Belichick said, "He can hit 'em in the pocket, he can hit 'em out of the pocket, there's plenty of examples of both."

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