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Broncos ready to go with Cutler
By Adam Schefter
Special to NFL.com
(Nov. 22, 2006) -- Shortly after the holiday season begins, so will the Jay Cutler era.
After Jake Plummer starts Thursday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Broncos are likely to turn over their starting quarterback job to Cutler, their highly touted 2006 first-round draft choice, who then would make his debut on Sunday night, Dec. 3, against the Seattle Seahawks, according to sources close to the situation.
The Cutler era very well might have started sooner had the Broncos not been working on an abbreviated schedule this week, in one of the NFL's toughest road venues. Denver plays at Kansas City in the first live regular-season game televised on NFL Network and one team official said he thought the Broncos would have started Cutler if the team were playing on a Sunday instead of a Thursday.
But just as the short week prevented Cutler from making his debut this week, it will greatly enhance his chances of starting next week, giving the Broncos 10 days to prep their rookie quarterback for his first NFL start at home against the Seahawks.
Already, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan has shown he is not afraid to shake up his offense. At various points this season, Shanahan has benched his starting running backs, Tatum Bell and Mike Bell, his right offensive tackle, George Foster, and his tight end, Tony Scheffler.
Quarterback is the next position that will be hit with a change, and it will be a seismic one in NFL circles. One AFC general manager, upon studying game film of the Broncos offense this week, said he believes that Shanahan has had to tone down the aggressiveness of his play-calls out of fear that Plummer will make more mistakes. He certainly has made enough of them this season, throwing 11 interceptions compared to 10 touchdowns.
Two Sundays ago against the Raiders, Plummer threw three interceptions, causing the Broncos to continue contemplating a quarterback change. In Denver's next game, Plummer played even more poorly, throwing an interception and fumbling twice in the fourth quarter, including once after the Broncos called timeout to go over their play-call.
Now the Broncos believe the time has come to turn over their offense -- and really their franchise -- to Cutler. Broncos assistant coaches who have repeatedly watched the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Cutler through the preseason and into the regular season say their quarterback is more poised and polished than any rookie they have seen. His disposition is said to be perfect for the position. But there still remains the question of how he will play in games.
If the preseason is any judge, it should be superbly. Cutler completed 40 of 62 passes (64.5 percent) for 561 yards, four touchdowns, one interception and a 108.3 quarterback rating. During the same preseason, Plummer completed 19 of 34 passes (55.9 percent) for 226 yards, one touchdown and no interception for an 86.2 quarterback rating.
Plummer's quarterback rating this season has plummeted to 69.7, the lowest it has been in Denver and his worst figure since his last season at Arizona in 2002. He is now the 29th-rated quarterback in the league, trailing such quarterbacks as Tampa Bay's Bruce Gradkowski, Seattle's Seneca Wallace and Cleveland's Charlie Frye.
Despite Jake Plummer's struggles, he has the Broncos in the thick of things in the AFC West.
At his press conference Tuesday, Plummer said defiantly: "There have been people who have tried to run me out of here since I got here. If I listened to that stuff, I wouldn't still be here leading this team. Hey, one day that will all come true. Until then, sorry."
But "then" is coming quick. Thursday night is now expected to be Plummer's last start for an indefinite period and maybe his final one as the Broncos quarterback
By Adam Schefter
Special to NFL.com
(Nov. 22, 2006) -- Shortly after the holiday season begins, so will the Jay Cutler era.
After Jake Plummer starts Thursday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Broncos are likely to turn over their starting quarterback job to Cutler, their highly touted 2006 first-round draft choice, who then would make his debut on Sunday night, Dec. 3, against the Seattle Seahawks, according to sources close to the situation.
The Cutler era very well might have started sooner had the Broncos not been working on an abbreviated schedule this week, in one of the NFL's toughest road venues. Denver plays at Kansas City in the first live regular-season game televised on NFL Network and one team official said he thought the Broncos would have started Cutler if the team were playing on a Sunday instead of a Thursday.
But just as the short week prevented Cutler from making his debut this week, it will greatly enhance his chances of starting next week, giving the Broncos 10 days to prep their rookie quarterback for his first NFL start at home against the Seahawks.
Already, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan has shown he is not afraid to shake up his offense. At various points this season, Shanahan has benched his starting running backs, Tatum Bell and Mike Bell, his right offensive tackle, George Foster, and his tight end, Tony Scheffler.
Quarterback is the next position that will be hit with a change, and it will be a seismic one in NFL circles. One AFC general manager, upon studying game film of the Broncos offense this week, said he believes that Shanahan has had to tone down the aggressiveness of his play-calls out of fear that Plummer will make more mistakes. He certainly has made enough of them this season, throwing 11 interceptions compared to 10 touchdowns.
Two Sundays ago against the Raiders, Plummer threw three interceptions, causing the Broncos to continue contemplating a quarterback change. In Denver's next game, Plummer played even more poorly, throwing an interception and fumbling twice in the fourth quarter, including once after the Broncos called timeout to go over their play-call.
Now the Broncos believe the time has come to turn over their offense -- and really their franchise -- to Cutler. Broncos assistant coaches who have repeatedly watched the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Cutler through the preseason and into the regular season say their quarterback is more poised and polished than any rookie they have seen. His disposition is said to be perfect for the position. But there still remains the question of how he will play in games.
If the preseason is any judge, it should be superbly. Cutler completed 40 of 62 passes (64.5 percent) for 561 yards, four touchdowns, one interception and a 108.3 quarterback rating. During the same preseason, Plummer completed 19 of 34 passes (55.9 percent) for 226 yards, one touchdown and no interception for an 86.2 quarterback rating.
Plummer's quarterback rating this season has plummeted to 69.7, the lowest it has been in Denver and his worst figure since his last season at Arizona in 2002. He is now the 29th-rated quarterback in the league, trailing such quarterbacks as Tampa Bay's Bruce Gradkowski, Seattle's Seneca Wallace and Cleveland's Charlie Frye.
Despite Jake Plummer's struggles, he has the Broncos in the thick of things in the AFC West.
At his press conference Tuesday, Plummer said defiantly: "There have been people who have tried to run me out of here since I got here. If I listened to that stuff, I wouldn't still be here leading this team. Hey, one day that will all come true. Until then, sorry."
But "then" is coming quick. Thursday night is now expected to be Plummer's last start for an indefinite period and maybe his final one as the Broncos quarterback
