Is this the week Tim Tebow should get the start for the Jets?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss whether New York Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow should take over for struggling starter Mark Sanchez this week against the St. Louis Rams. Check back throughout the day for their responses and join the conversation by leaving a comment of your own.

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times

At this point, why not try Tim Tebow? What do the Jets have to lose? The Patriots are starting to create separation in the AFC East, and the Jets should at least try everything they have in their arsenal, and pray for the kind of run Denver went on with Tebow last season.

Trading for him was dumb in the first place -- predictably, his presence has been more of a distraction than a benefit -- but it’s too late to change that now. Mark Sanchez threw his fourth red-zone interception Sunday, and the Jets’ offense is wheezing and sputtering.

The Jets play at St. Louis on Sunday, and the Rams are ranked 18th against the run. If they’re going to try Tebow, they might as well give him a whirl this week. At this point, though, it doesn’t seem like Rex Ryan’s ego is going to let him do that.

Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune

The Jets are 3-6 and have lost three straight. They are playing another team with a losing record this week, the Rams. Mark Sanchez has a 70.4 passer rating and is not winning games.

Rex Ryan has nothing to lose by giving Tim Tebow an opportunity to do for them what he did for the Broncos a year ago. If the Jets don’t go to him now, it made little sense to trade for him in the off-season. If they wait for another loss or two, it’s going to be too late. At this point, the season still may be salvageable, though it would take a minor miracle.

Tebow won 64% of his starts last season. If he can win a slightly higher percentage of his games this year, the Jets will finish 8-8.

[Updated at 10:40 a.m.:

Aaron Wilson, Baltimore Sun

Rather than cling to the usual mediocrity and occasional incompetence of Mark Sanchez, Rex Ryan should throw caution to the wind and insert Tim Tebow as his starter.

Sure, Tebow is a flawed, inaccurate quarterback with 47.9 percent career accuracy, but it’s not as if the Jets have much to lose. This season is going nowhere. It’s Tebow Time.

At least Tebow is exciting to watch and has rushed for 979 career yards and a dozen touchdowns. To me, Sanchez cares more about partying than football anyway.

Tebow will inspire the locker room and breathe some life into a listless football team. Plus, Tebow would create the buzz owner Woody Johnson craves.

Go ahead, Rex, bench Sanchez. We’ve seen plenty of evidence of his unworthiness.]

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