Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Bills receiver Nelson well-versed in Tebow talk

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Questions surrounding Tim Tebow and his matchup with the Buffalo Bills this weekend don't seem to faze Buffalo receiver David Nelson. Maybe that's because he's heard it all before.

Nelson is well-versed in all things Tebow, having been on the receiving end of Tebow's tosses for three years as a Florida Gator. And Nelson will be the first to tell you Tebow is not like other quarterbacks.

“He’s just wired differently,” Nelson said of his former teammate Tuesday. “There’s something different about him than anybody I’ve ever seen before. He believes no matter what happens, no matter what the situation, he can get the job done.”

And he's been proving that since his take-over of the Denver Broncos' offense in Week 7. Tebow is 7-2 since assuming the starting role, throwing for 11 touchdowns with only two picks. On the ground, he's been just as effective, averaging 5.8 yards per carry with five touchdowns, including a 20-yard touchdown scamper with seconds remaining to upset the Jets.

“He thrives on people telling him what he can’t do and then he also tries to prove people right when they say he can do it,” Nelson said. “He believes in himself differently than anybody I’ve ever seen and he approaches the game of football differently than anybody I’ve ever seen.”

“We stay in touch, so just like any other friend I want him to succeed until we play him. I’ll definitely be watching him play and try to see how he does. But at the same time I have to stay in focus and stay focused on what I have to do.”

A win at Ralph Wilson Stadium this weekend would not only put a smile on Nelson's face but a damper on Denver's playoff picture. The AFC West is one of only two divisions remaining without at least one team locked into a playoff spot, and a loss could potentially leave the Broncos tied with the Oakland Raiders for the division lead; that's if Oakland can take down Romeo Crennel's revamped Kansas City Chiefs.

Buffalo is 1-5 against Denver since 1995.

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