TebowMania hits New England

Attention football fans and bible thumpers alike, everyone's favorite Christian -- Tim Tebow has found a new home! After appearing to be dead in the water with no place to go following his unfortunate release from the New York Jets in April which couldn't have come at a worse time given most teams that needed a quarterback this offseason likely acquired one in the NFL Draft, a surprise team emerged. That team? The New England Patriots who agreed to sign Tebow to a 2-year deal with no money guaranteed. With arguably the most successful quarterback-coaching tandem that's ever stepped foot on a playing field in Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in place, it's unlikely Tebow will receive many snaps at the quarterback position if any at all this season. From a QB standpoint, New England was both the best and worst possible destination for Tebow. But that's not to say neither party will benefit.

Playing in New England under coach Belichick and alongside Brady will do wonders for Tebow's knowledge of the game even if it means watching from the sidelines while holding a clipboard. For Tebow, a former Heisman Trophy winner, the move to Foxborough will reunite him with some familiar faces including Pats offensive-coordinator Josh McDaniels who was at the helm of the head coaching position in Denver when the Broncos traded up to draft Tebow in the first round in 2010. Another is tight-end Aaron Hernandez whom Tebow won a BCS National Championship with at the University of Florida. Despite being listed at quarterback as mentioned by Belichick on Tuesday when addressing the media at minicamp, if Tebow does see playing time it'll likely be at another position. And though he's made it clear that quarterback is his ideal position where he's listed at third behind Brady and backup Ryan Mallet on the depth-chart, there won't be any complaining or bickering coming from Tebow regarding his role albeit as a fullback or at tight-end where New England will likely need help in place of the ailing Rob Gronkowski.

Having already undergone a plethora of mechanical throwing adjustments from coaches and former players alike, moving to another position might be the only way Tebow will see playing time this season. Few teams relied on the run in short-yardage situations last year more so than the Patriots which would be right up Tebow's alley. And granted no coach likes to mix it up quite like Belichick when it comes to milking his players for their versatility, it's definitely a possibility. But while his role remains a mystery, one thing that we all know already is that Tebow, who spoke highly of the franchises recent success and thanked the organization numerous times for giving him the opportunity, will give it his all and will do everything possible to help his team win if called upon. But not all players seeking success come to New England and leave having flourished. While Randy Moss and Danny Woodhead were both gambles that paid off, Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth are just an example of a few recent experiments that Belichick and co. rolled the dice on to no avail. During his nightmare season with the Jets last year under coach Rex Ryan, Tebow threw for a whopping 39 yards while completing 6 of 8 pass attempts and ran for another 102 yards on 32 carries while seeing limited action.


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Pats steal Ellis from Jets, igniting AFC East arms race

Spicing up one of the NFL's more heated rivalries as of late is the recent news of former Jets Defensive end Shaun Ellis signing with the New England Patriots. Though the 2-time Pro-Bowler out of Tennessee spent 11 years pressuring the Quarterback he now calls his teammate (Tom Brady), Jets head coach Rex Ryan won't be sending flowers or a good luck card to his player of two years anytime soon. Instead, he made it clear via a press-conference that he wishes Ellis good health, but also hopes he plays poorly with his new squad before adding that he had a great deal of respect for the 34 year old veteran. Whether or not coach Ryan agrees, Ellis' transition from NY to NE isn't your typical rivalry flip-flop considering he was just looking to play for whoever gave him the best offer.

Despite spending over a decade in New York, the Jets looked to repay their longest tenured player for his services by offering him a 1-year deal at the veteran's minimum of $910,000. Having witnessed Ellis reek enough havoc on his team and Quarterback over the years including a 2 sack performance as recent as the AFC Divisional Game on January 16, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick recruited him as both sides agreed to a 1-year, $4 Million deal. And while Rex Ryan and the Jets got the last laugh in 2010 as they went on to eliminate Belichick and the Patriots out of the Playoffs to play in the AFC title game which they eventually lost, New England appears to be making all the right moves to avoid a similar incident.

The uniting of Ellis and Belichick is fitting given they both have a lot to do with where one another has been for the past decade. Having served as Bill Parcells' assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for several years in New York (1997-99), Belichick wad handed the head coaching duties after Parcells' retirement. However, only one day into the job, he resigned as the Jets head coach after surprising the organization with a note that read, "I resign as HC of the NYJ" moments before taking the podium to announce his change of heart. Making matters worse, Belichick was announced as head coach of the New England Patriots just hours after his debacle with the Jets. Arguing with the league office that Belichick was still under contract with New York, then NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue demanded compensation from the Patriots who gave the Jets their first-round draft pick in exchange for Belichick. The Jets would go on to use that pick to select Shaun Ellis 12th overall and the rest is history.

Ellis joins Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth to form a newly looked Patriots squad that hopes to once again out-muscle the opposition to recapture sole possession of the division. Alongside Ellis and Haynesworth will be nose tackle Vince Wilfork, forming one of the more formidable tandems in all of football. Though Gang Green hasn't made as much noise as their rivals via the free agent and trade market this offseason, they did manage to fill the void of the recently departed Braylon Edwards by signing the 6-foot, 5-inch Plaxico Burress. But while Burress' height advantage serves in the Jets' favor, his time away from the game may prove to be costly as it's been a rough two years since he's last played a down of football. However, that's one gamble Rex Ryan and company is willing to take as his third year Quarterback Mark Sanchez will need all the help he can get on offense.

While the answer to the question of who comes out on top in the AFC East is up in the air, one thing that's certain is that the division has now evolved into a chess match as both teams begin shifting their pieces in anticipation of the 2011-2012 NFL season. Both teams look to add another chapter to their rivalry come Week 5 in Foxborough's Gillette Stadium on October 9.