Monday, October 23, 2006

5-1.....but how good are the Broncos with Jake Plummer?

What a bizarre day yesterday.

First, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that the Broncos are prepared to yank Jake Plummer in favor of Jay Cutler if Plummer falters against Cleveland. Then as the game starts, the Broncos are chucking the ball over over the field despite 25+ mph swirling winds coming off Lake Erie. It was as if Coach Shanahan was going to let actually open up the play book and try to score more than 13 points, not that they need more than that with the way the defense has been playing. It seemed like it was a "make or break" type game for Jake Plummer. Bronco fans know what a lightening rod Jake Plummer is; from flipping of the fans to flipping a left handed interception to having an outstanding winning percentage (37-12 as a Broncos starter) it's hard to get a gauge on this guy. Despite his great regular season winning percentage, critics like to point to the QB's 1-3 record in the playoffs, and sub-par stat line in those games. Not all of that 1-3 record can be pinned on Plummer however, as the defense in the three losses was lit up like Ted Kennedy on a two hour “power lunch”. Back to yesterday, Plummer started 3-9 with an INT, then proceeds to make all the throws and help the Broncos to a 10-0 halftime lead. Game over right? Seemingly so, yes, it's over with a defense that's only allowing 7.3 points a game. After taking the opening kickoff of the second half and driving all the way down the field, capped by a rookie WR Brandon Marshall touchdown reception and making the score 17-0, Plummer reverted back to his "Bad Jake" ways and gift wrapped an interception to the Browns. This gave the Browns the ball at the Denver 18 yard line and just three plays later the Browns had scored on a 6 yard TD pass from Charlie Frye to WR Joe Jurevicius. The shutout was over, thanks in part to Jake Plummer. Despite two more near INTs from Plummer, the Broncos salted away the clock in the 4th quarter and walked out of Cleveland with a nice road win. So what to do with Jake Plummer? Can you bench a guy that's 5-1 and is a proven winner in Denver? I've defended Plummer since his signing in 2003, but even I'm getting restless watching him scare the ever living crap out of me game in and game out. I have feeling that Jake Plummer has two more games to prove himself to Coach Shanahan and his teammates. These next two games against the high powered and undefeated (6-0) Indianapolis Colts in Denver and the defending World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh will be a true measure of where this team is with Jake Plummer at the helm. There's way too much talent on this offense to be averaging just over 13 points per game. Arguably, the Broncos have the best receiving core in team history in Rod Smith and Javon Walker, or at least on par with the back to back Super Bowl teams featuring a young Rod Smith and Ed McCaffry. Tatum Bell has proved that he can carry the load and is on pace for 1,600 yards. While Jay Cutler had a titillating preseason, the thought of rookie QB leading this team down the stretch and potentially into the playoffs is one that makes this fan uneasy. Unfortunately, I have a similar feeling with the current starting QB as well.

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