I’ll admit to taking a peak or two at last night’s Jets/Bengals exhibition tilt, partially because the Mets presented no threat whatsoever to Paul Maholm, but also in the hopes of seeing Jets backup QB Tim Tebow do something slightly more blogworthy than take his shirt off. Save for one efficient scramble and one brutally underthrown pass for a turnover, it wasn’t an eventful Gang Green debut for the 24 Year Old Version, though if we’re to believe the postgame boasts of Jets head coach Rex Ryan, that’s because he agreed to keep it that way. From the New York Post’s Brian Costello :
The Jets ran no Wildcat plays with Tebow. They are trying to keep their exact plans for Tebow under wraps until the regular season arrives Sept. 9 against the Bills. Ryan said Bengals coach Marvin Lewis called him Thursday morning to ask him not to run the Wildcat.
“I know nobody’s worried about Wildcat and all that stuff. It’s real easy to stop,” Ryan said sarcastically. “That’s why I got a call at 7 a.m. the day before we played by Marvin not wanting to see the Wildcat. I guess I’m the only guy who thinks it has a place in the NFL, me and every defensive coach in the league.”
Though this alleged conversation might not be without precedent, imagine if similar schemes were employed before other sports’ exhibition games. No more R.A. Dickey knucleballs in Spring Training. Come early Autumn, no surprise plays from the Knicks (ie. someone besides Carmelo taking a shot).