Wide receiver Jerheme Urban only has one catch for the Kansas City Chiefs this season.
He might as well play quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Or at least try to imitate it.
You see, Urban stands 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, and he has some experience at quarterback from his younger days, not to mention experience in track. He's an unusual athlete, which makes him a natural fit to mimic Broncos star Tim Tebow, who runs a read-option offense that NFL teams just don't see very often.
So, Urban has been battered by the Kansas City defense in practice this week as it tries to figure out the best way to shut down Tebow, the former Heisman Trophy winner they will face Sunday in an AFC West showdown.
But the responsibility of mimicking Tebow hasn't fallen only on Urban.
Backup quarterback Tyler Palko is a left-hander, like Tebow, and athletic in his own right. So coach Todd Haley has called on Palko to line up opposite the Chiefs' defense as well. But unlike Urban, Haley refuses to let the defense put a hit on Kansas City's No. 2 quarterback in practice.
"I can only judge Tim as an opposing coach getting ready to defend him," Haley said. "The guy's a winner and has won everywhere he's been, and he's shown that now in the NFL. I think he's a heck of a player."
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Tebow certainly creates some unique challenges. Running an offense similar to what he excelled in at the University of Florida, he generally has three options after taking the snap: throw it down field, pitch it to Willis McGahee or one of the other running backs, or simply keep the ball himself and scamper down field.
Chiefs veteran linebacker Derrick Johnson said he hasn't faced an option-style offense since his college days at Texas.
"That's definitely a college game plan when you do so much option," he said. "However you can get a win. It may not be the traditional way, standing in the pocket, delivering, you know, certain routes and all that stuff. As long as you win, it doesn't really matter."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
