National Football League

Broncos preparing Tebow for first start

Published Dec. 17, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow is being prepared to start his first NFL game on Sunday against the host Oakland Raiders.

The left-handed thrower has taken a majority of the first-team offensive reps in practice this week since starting QB Kyle Orton (ribs-questionable) has been very limited.

“Tim has continued to develop,” Broncos interim head coach Eric Studesville said Friday. "He has the game plan, he has been out there and been getting a lot of reps with the situation of Kyle not being able to practice. As a backup quarterback, you do not always get those reps. This week has been good for him to get those. He has looked good getting those reps and we are confident that if that is the situation that came to pass, he would be ready to go.”

The Broncos don’t plan to make a final decision on who will start against Oakland until they see how Orton’s injured ribs respond over the next 24 hours or so, but it’s looking more and more that Tebow will start.