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Tim Tebow may have fallen way down the depth chart for the Denver Broncos, but for fans on Monday night, he was No. 1 in their hearts. Broncos players are starting to get irritated over the debate between Tebow and Kyle Orton (and, nominally, Brady Quinn, although we doubt anyone's taking him seriously as an option. Still, No. 2 on the depth chart!), and it looks like Denver has a legitimate quarterback controversy on its hands.

Vote: Where will Tim Tebow have the brightest future?

• "Orton didn't do entirely bad. You can't blame too much on him when the running game could only produce 38 yards of offense. No-gain Moreno was terrible. McFadden saved us late in the game and Janikowski's bomb of a field goal kept us ahead." -- SN commenter rvidaurr
• "No one debates Kyle Orton as a top 10 quarterback, but honestly, Tom Brady couldn't have won that game. The offense line play was horrid and Denver straight out abandoned the running game" -- SN commenter blingmojo27

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• Vote: Who should win these positional battles?

Not many people can pull off a neck beard and successfully play quarterback in the National Football League. Actually, let's reword that: Not many people can pull off a neck beard, period. As Dr. Aaron Perlut (a friend of SportsNation) would put it, beards are compromises for those not committed enough to wearing a mustache.

Obviously, Dr. Perlut has never met Kyle Orton. He's been able to do both quite well in the past year, heading a surprisingly competitive Broncos squad and rocking a thick and extensive beard. The Broncos don't seem to be totally confident in him, however, as they've acquired clean-shaven Brady Quinn as a backup plan. Sure, Orton is starting now, but how long will that last? For certain, he can sympathize with Marion Barber (soul patch), Flozell Adams (mustache/beard combo) and Matt Leinart (stubble). One day, you've got a starting position and a full beard -- the next, nothing. At least Orton can take solace in the fact that SportsNation sees him as the starter for the majority of the Broncos' games this season. Is that the right choice?

• Vote: Will LaDainian Tomlinson help Jets? | Will Brady Quinn succeed with Broncos?
• AFC bloggers: West's Bill Williamson | North's James Walker | East's Tim Graham

The Jets sign a future Hall of Famer in LaDainian Tomlinson, and he might not even be the best player they got from the Chargers this month. The Browns? Well, we imagine season tickets are just flying off the shelves with Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme in the house.

Mike Holmgren is in charge of the Browns, but a Browns fan says the faithful in Cleveland are used to channeling Norman Dale when it comes to authority figures. As in, "I would hope you would support who we are -- not who we are not." So is Eric Mangini Shooter?

• "Then they traded for Seneca Wallace, who seemed to be good at little more than keeping the curtain up. Fine. A backup. All right. Then came Jake Delhomme, a veteran who's best days are likely behind him. A better backup, maybe? Put Brady on the trading block to keep him on his toes, or if someone can be duped into overpaying for him. ... But this? A sixth in next year's draft, a conditional pick in 2012 and a fullback? What are you going to get with that sixth round pick? A backup safety? That's what our hopes were worth?" -- Read SNight322's full post.

Pending decisions from guys like Jimmy Clausen and Jake Locker, it remains to be seen exactly how plentiful the potential first-round quarterbacks will be in next spring's draft. But it seems safe to say it will have more to offer than the class of signal callers that came out of the 2007 draft.

Derek Anderson needed four games to complete a total of 29 passes, and it's only now that 2007 draftee Brady Quinn apparently gets another shot. JaMarcus Russell can't stop throwing interceptions and some of Trent Edwards' teammates are eager to bring in Michael Vick. Is there still hope for any of these guys, or is Kevin Kolb the class' only hope for redemption?

We're going to go out on a limb and suggest firing Phil Savage wasn't the best move the Browns could have made after last season. True, we don't know Phil Savage from Phil Spector (other than that Savage is the one who isn't incarcerated) or the stunningly bad musical catalogue of Savage Garden. But the product in Cleveland without Savage stinks. And as Eric Mangini takes time away from fining people for bottled water mistakes to bench Brady Quinn, SportsNation turned to a pair of experts to figure out what went wrong.

• Power Rankings: SN ranks Browns No. 31 | Coach Ratings: Mangini last at 8 percent

Has a quarterback controversy ever gone on for this long? It seems like we've been asking "Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson? Anderson or Quinn?" ever since young Brady was drafted. You could practically set your watch by it at this point.

Still, as we are all sports fans, the bare fact that this is still an issue means that we are bound to debate it. To wit: In August, it was Quinn. In May, it was Quinn. In March, it was Quinn. Back in November, it was still Quinn.

So, Eric Mangini, the question is: Are you a man of the people? Will you heed their cries and start Mr. Brady Quinn, now and for the foreseeable future? Or is it as we feared? Are you an autocrat whose word is law? If so, that's cool. We think that's in the job description for "NFL head coach."

• Owing to the prolonged nature of this battle, almost three-quarters of SportsNation thinks that both Anderson and Quinn will start multiple games.
• Member thedudebabcock sees an alternate explanation for Cleveland's QB shenanigans.
• Groups: Dawg Pound | Ohioans | Fans from ohio

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd think "SportsNation" TV fans and detractors should voice their opinions on billboards in Bristol.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPNEWS at 4 p.m. and ESPN2 at midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

What do you think of Devin Aromashodu sending flowers to Bears coaches?
The wide receiver may be buttering up coaches in advance of final cuts, but last time we checked, cupcakes might be a better bribe for many headset wearers.

Do you approve or disapprove of Roger Goodell's handling of Michael Vick?
The commissioner is expected to let the Eagles know by Saturday when their backup quarterback will be eligible to play this season.

Whose side are you on?
Are you siding with Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis or the critical fans who bought a billboard near campus to express their displeasure?

Who should start for the Browns at quarterback?
Coach Eric Mangini hasn't named a starter. Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson and the entire fan base wait expectantly for the intrigue to be resolved.

Would you let Shaq spank you on your birthday?
In a hands-on interview, Shaq administered the birthday spanking for radio host "Money" from the "Petros & Money Show."

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

• Vote: Which quarterbacks will emerge victorious in some key preseason battles around the league?

It's one thing to look good throwing passes in seven-on-seven drills or posing in the pocket while wearing a red jersey (we see you, Matt Stafford). Any quarterback can look good in a red jersey -- well, maybe not Jared Lorenzen.

The real test for a quarterback trying to earn a starting job comes when the whistle blows for real and defensive linemen are trying to do things to him that would make Brock Lesnar wince. And you thought preseason games were a waste of money. Well, actually, you're right about that, but they do play a role in settling quarterback duels.

While the opening exhibition game between the Titans and Bills didn't offer much in the way of quarterback drama (no matter what Vince Young thinks), the first full weekend of games will be a different story. One of the biggest auditions comes with Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson and the Browns visiting Lambeau Field. SportsNation ranked Quinn No. 2 when it came to quarterbacks battling for jobs, behind only Oakland's Jeff Garcia. The bad news for the former Golden Domer is voters also ranked Anderson No. 3.

Hey, look at that. A post about quarterbacks that didn't mention Brett Favre or Michael Vick ... until now. Our bad.

• Voters think Mark Sanchez is a better bet than Stafford to earn his contract.
• SportsNation also higher on Jay Cutler, Aaron Rodgers than Stafford.
• Voters believe Quinn's future brighter than Young, Matt Leinart and others.
• More than 70 percent of SN expects Vick to throw a regular-season pass in 2009.
• Chat: AFC North blogger James Walker talks Browns at 4 p.m. ET.
• Groups: Dawg Pound | Detroit Lion fans | The New York Jets Fan Club

Some quarterback battles are worthy of Bruce Lee. Others more closely resemble Larry, Moe and Curly. But through it all, we're talking about summer entertainment. And when the other option is figuring out which punter a team will go with, we'll go with the contrived quarterback drama, thank you very much.

Browns coach Eric Mangini says he doesn't have a timetable for naming a starting quarterback. And the truth of the matter is that it probably doesn't really matter whether Mangini decides to start Derek Anderson or follows SportsNation's advice and goes with Brady Quinn when the Browns open the regular season at home against the Vikings (and their own quarterback to be named later).

Pick the right guy and maybe the Browns go 8-8. Pick the wrong guy and maybe they go 4-12 again. By December, people on the shores of Lake Erie may all be talking about Colt McCoy or Sam Bradford anyway.

But at least the Browns are choosing from two seemingly viable options, if only compared to how voters feel about the battles in Minnesota (Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels) and San Francisco (Alex Smith and Shaun Hill).

• Almost half of SportsNation says Mangini needs to pick by first preseason game.
• Although 74 percent of voters expect Anderson and Quinn to both start multiple games.
• Faint praise? Voters like Quinn more than J. Russell, M. Leinart or V. Young.
• Who are the best of the embattled quarterbacks? Rank those fighting for jobs.
• Groups: Dawg Pound | Vikings Fans | 49er Red and Gold