Once again, Tim Tebow debuts in Cincinnati, this time for the Jets in his ... - The Star-Ledger - NJ.com

William Perlman/The Star-LedgerTim Tebow won't be wearing a red (no-contact) jersey tonight when he makes his Jets debut in the preseason game against Cincinnati.

CORTLAND, N.Y. â€" It was in Cincinnati, also, that Tim Tebow made his NFL debut.

Two Augusts ago, Tebow was a rookie quarterback for the Broncos, and he says his “super-competitive” psyche won’t let him forget the meaningless final play of the game. He couldn’t find any receivers, so he took off scrambling. As time expired, he lowered his shoulder, running through a safety and a linebacker for a 7-yard touchdown.

“I think one of the safeties got a concussion on that play, I tore an oblique and another linebacker, all three of us hit,” Tebow said. “I mean, that’s who I am. So yeah, it was fun.”

Tebow will make another debut in Paul Brown Stadium tonight at 7:30, this time as a member of the Jets. Coach Rex Ryan said the Jets backup quarterback could play about two quarters in the preseason opener, leading the second-team offense after Mark Sanchez and the starters get their work in.

The Jets plan to use a “vanilla” offense, offensive coordinator Tony Sparano said, so any Tebow-related offensive wrinkles the Jets may use this season likely won’t take center stage. They did not game plan for the Bengals, although reports out of Cincinnati said rookie receiver Mohamed Sanu, a Rutgers product, mimicked Tebow in a No. 15 scout team jersey Wednesday.

“Wildcat is something that Cincinnati needs to prepare for right now,” Ryan said with a grin.

But Ryan said he doubts Tebow will take any snaps with the first-team offensive line. The starters may play only about 12 to 15 plays, or about a quarter, a first live test run for Sparano and his new offense.

Sparano, hired in January to replace Brian Schottenheimer, is interested to see for the first time how this set of players responds in a game situation.

“I’m just curious to watch the whole interaction,” Sparano said, “and see if all of a sudden the players that I’ve seen in practice show up in the game or they turn into something different. Sometimes that happens, and I want to know that. I need to know that right away.”

Tebow is known for struggling in practice but coming alive in game situations. Sparano says he has an idea how he’ll play, pointing to Tebow’s comeback wins last season, as the Broncos starting quarterback, over both the Jets and the Sparano-led Dolphins.

He’ll finally be out of the red practice jersey tonight, but Sparano also pointed out, “you don’t want the guy to get hit.” Not the usual special teams player, Tebow should also be “live” for the first time as a personal protector on the punt team.

“I’ve never done it before,” he said. “It will be fun.

“We’ll figure out what they’re doing and hopefully have something good ready for them.”

The league’s best-known backup quarterback will no doubt attract unusual attention for a preseason game. So far during camp, Sanchez has been the commander of the offense, praised by teammates and coaches for leadership on and off the field. Ryan said Tebow has been a “tremendous teammate.”

The coaches have worked with Tebow as a backup quarterback first, improving areas of his game like identification of fronts and coverages, and getting the ball out more quickly. Those will be a focus tonight, not the so-called special package of plays he’ll lead come September.

In 10 practices and a scrimmage, Tebow has completed 31 of 62 passes with two touchdowns and one interception in 11-on-11 team drills. He ran for two touchdowns. Sanchez is 59-of-114 with four touchdowns and three interceptions, by an unofficial count.

For both quarterbacks, tonight is a test drive. There’s still a month until the season opener.

“We know that Friday night is not our final destination,” Tebow said. “We want to do well, we want to execute, but it’s just another step, another day to get better.”

Notes: Matt Slauson, whom coach Rex Ryan indicated has again won the starting left guard job, took a pay cut Aug. 1. Due to make $1.308 million, Slauson will now make a fully guaranteed $1.05 million.

Jenny Vrentas: jvrentas@starledger.com