Coach Fox and Tim Tebow

After listening to the Tim Tebow supporters and detractors, I have not heard one relevant question about his performance from last Sunday discussed:

After completing four of fourteen passes for a paltry forty-plus yards in over three quarters of playing time but with the game still close at 15-0, why did Coach John Fox not bench Tebow for Kyle Orton or Brady Quinn?

Orton is considered an NFL starter, and by some accounts, Quinn outplayed Tebow in training camp and the preseason, and was considered the team's backup quarterback.

So, why stay with Tebow in that game?

Here are two possibilities:

1) Loyalty

Coach Fox was loyal to Tebow and wanted him to start what he finished.  He and organization executives needed to evaluate Tebow on a full-game of work, and pulling him in the second half would not have allowed it. 

When Coach Fox called the shots for the Carolina Panthers, he stuck with embattled signal-caller Jake Delhomme longer than most everyone would have.

Fox had named Tebow the starter, and he was going to give him a full game to show his talents.

Or...

2) To Prove a Point

Coach Fox did not draft Tim Tebow.  He watches him struggle with a traditional passing game.  He does not see him as an NFL starting quarterback. 

But, he has to listen to very vocal Broncos and national supporters holler for Tebow to start at quarterback.  With the team's season looking bad, and the starter (Orton) being ineffective, Fox decided to settle the Tebow issue once and for all.

He would start Tebow.  Then, his deficiencies would be visible to all.  Coach Fox would not consider removing Tebow, if he performed poorly.  If Tebow played the entire game and failed (including leading the Broncos at the end), the pro-Tebow supporters would have been silenced.

The coach and team could then move forward with Orton or Quinn.

But, then Tebow rallied the team for a win--and solved nothing for organization administrators.

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So which is it--did Coach Fox emphasize loyalty by giving Tebow a full game or did he expect the guy to fail so that they could move forward next season?

I tend to believe it was the latter.