NFL

Tebow only sees three snaps as Jets QB

PITTSBURGH — Tim who?

After seeing the field for nine offensive snaps in last week’s season opening win over the Bills, Tim Tebow was only used for three offensive plays early in the third quarter of yesterday’s 27-10 loss to the Steelers.

The league’s most popular backup quarterback didn’t take an offensive snap in the first half, and only made it onto the field for one snap total as a personal protector on the punt team midway through the second quarter. He finally took the field at the 8:39 mark of the third quarter, with the Jets trailing 20-10.

“It’s not frustrating,” Tebow said of his limited role. “Every year is a new opportunity and new challenges, and you try to do the best you can and I’m trying to do the best I can in this role. … Unfortunately we came up a little short.”

Tebow, who came in to begin a series at the Jets’ 27-yard line following a Pittsburgh touchdown, promptly made up for lost time. On his first play, he kept the ball on a read-option and burst downfield for a 22-yard gain. After he was finally brought down at the Jets’ 49-yard line, he leaped to his feet and started trying to fire up his teammates.

Tebow handed off on the next play to Joe McKnight, who slipped through a hole and ran for 12 yards and another first down. He then handed off to Shonn Greene, who was stopped for a 6-yard loss when he tried to stretch the play to the right sideline. Mark Sanchez then came back on for Tebow, who didn’t see another offensive snap.

“I’m trying to get a little momentum back on our side and provide a little spark,” Tebow said of his run. “I felt like we did that a little bit, but we’ve got to be able to sustain it and not have a negative play.

“When you do that, that hurts. Without that, I feel like we have some momentum going and a good chance to go down there and score.”

Jets coach Rex Ryan said the biggest thing that kept Tebow off the field was the fact the Jets’ defense was unable to stop the Steelers, who held the ball for over 36 minutes.

“As the game was going on, we were having a tough time getting off the field,” Ryan said. “We did put him in there … and he had a nice run and then we had another one with Joe and then we had a 6-yard loss. [That] kind of puts you behind the stick a little bit. … Obviously at that time you’re out of it, and then by then we’re doing several points, so I think we need to throw the ball in those situations.”

Another factor that kept Tebow off the field was Greene leaving the game to be tested for a concussion in the second quarter after a hard hit from defensive back Ryan Mundy. Greene returned to the field in the third quarter.

“With the Tebow package, Shonn is in there with him for the most part,” Ryan said. “When Shonn was out … we put [tight end] Konrad [Reuland] in there. He’s really not a back, so that limited us a little bit in that package.”