ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos don't care if everyone knows it, including the Houston Texans: Tim Tebow will start again Sunday.
Rather than keep everybody guessing, interim coach Eric Studesville made the unusual move Monday of announcing that Tebow would be under center when the Broncos (3-11) play host to the Texans (5-9).
Studesville said Kyle Orton is still bothered by bruised ribs and that Tebow did a good job managing the game plan, the team and the crowd in his first NFL start Sunday despite Denver's 39-23 loss at Oakland.
"Well, the reason right now was that we felt that Tim played well yesterday, ran our offense effectively," Studesville said. "Compounding that was the fact that Kyle still was rehabbing ... and we just felt like prolonging this later into the week wasn't the best thing for our preparation and practice."
So, now the Texans don't have to worry about preparing for two quarterbacks, one a right-handed prolific passer and the other a rookie southpaw.
Studesville thought the benefit to the Broncos outweighed any concerns about the Texans knowing it.
"I think they'll certainly have tape on him now to have a game plan," Studesville said. "What they'll do differently ... we're going to do some things differently because we'll have more information on him too, now. So, how that all plays out I'm not exactly sure."
Tebow, who was stunningly selected with the 25th overall pick in the April draft by former coach Josh McDaniels, had thrown just one NFL pass before Sunday and most of his two dozen snaps had come in specialty situations such as short-yardage and goal line packages.
His repertoire was limited Sunday because of bad weather and offensive coordinator Mike McCoy's conservative game calling but he showed enough to merit more playing time and perhaps more of a chance to throw the ball.
"We know more now about Tim and what he can do in a game, we can give him things," Studesville said. "But the entire game plan is still based on what we think gives us the best chance against the Houston Texans, and that's what's going to determine the volume of the playbook more than anything else."
Asked if team owner Pat Bowlen might have suggested the move to ensure there isn't a sea of empty seats at Invesco Field on Sunday, Studesville said he indeed met with the owner and chief operating officer Joe Ellis in the morning but that it was his decision alone. He said Bowlen and Ellis agreed with his call.
Although Studesville gave his team the day off Monday, both quarterbacks reported to Dove Valley, Orton for treatment on the ribs he bruised in a loss at Arizona on Dec. 12, and got the news.
Studesville said Orton didn't object.
"No, he's a professional," Studesville said.
Tebow had moments of greatness and moments of grief in his first career start.
By the time the first quarter ended, he had joined Kordell Stewart and Michael Vick as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to run for a 40-yard touchdown and throw for a 30-yard touchdown in the same game.
He was a bit lucky: his 40-yard scamper was supposed to be a hand-off and his 33-yard touchdown strike went through the hands of cornerback Stanford Routt before Brandon Lloyd caught it as he rolled out of bounds.
Tebow admitted after the game that on his touchdown run, he was supposed to hand off to tailback Correll Buckhalter on third-and-24.
"My reaction was it was seven points no matter how it happened," Studesville said Monday.
So, it's forgivable when a rookie goofs up?
"Forgivable? No," Studesville said. "But I'm happy it worked out in a good way."
The Raiders were impressed by the NFL's most intriguing pro prospect since Vick joined the Atlanta Falcons out of Virginia Tech in 2001.
Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha got a good hit on Tebow late in the game but Tebow, who weighs nearly 250 pounds, doled out a lot of punishment himself.
"A lot of guys will either slide or they'll try to take the path of least resistance. But he's going to go head-up with a guy, every time. He's a big guy, tough to bring down," Asomugha said.
That's the concern about Tebow: can he last in this league with that same style that helped him win two national titles and a Heisman Trophy at Florida?
"He's a tough runner. He runs like a back," Raiders safety Michael Huff said. "Once he gets more experience throwing the ball, he'll be a good quarterback."
He's definitely a work-in-progress quarterback who needs more polish in his footwork and throwing mechanics to go with his high energy and enthusiasm.
Tebow completed eight passes for 138 yards and ran eight times for 78 and wasn't picked off Sunday.
"People said he couldn't be an NFL quarterback but he made some good throws, he had some good runs," Oakland linebacker Quentin Groves said. "He does what suits him best and that's what it is."
And what best suits him right now is throwing occasionally and running -- he averaged 9.8 yards a carry.
"He earned a lot of respect from me today," defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said. "He's a lot better athlete than you think he is. You heard so much about him and then you play him. He made a couple moves out there today that surprised me. I think he's got a bright future."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
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