November 24, 2006
Defending The Snake
Just because there are holidays doesn't mean that the serious issues go away. We covered iTunes randomization before Thanksgiving, now if the Pennsylvanians would talk among themselves, I'd like to discuss Broncos football.
I love the meritocracy of sports but I think that Jake Plummer is getting some undeserved scapegoating. Watching the game last night reminded me of two things. One, Bryant Gumbel is really annoying. Two, the 2006/7 Broncos are not a championship team. Dropping in a top caliber QB would not change that. Jake's numbers look great and I'll listen to leadership arguments, but remember John Elway's receiver corps: the three Amigos, McCaffrey, many years of Shannon Sharpe and a younger Rod Smith. Elway also had the likes of Clinton Portis and Terrell Davis to sell the play action.
Mr. Plummer has Smith, who has lost a couple steps and Jevon Walker who is world class. After that? Who's he gonna throw to? The Portis trade got us Champ Bailey and I will not say a bad word. But the idea that you can just drop anybody behind the line and have a 1000 yard rusher is withering under empirical testing. A small halfback and a green fullback are not likely to deliver championships under a Shanahan offense.
The vaulted Defense has earned its respect for keeping points off the board. All the same, they have not been able to shut down ball control offenses. Opponents have controlled the clock and the pace of the game all year. The D has delivered turnovers and a stingy red zone that keeps the games close.
I do not agree that Jake Plummer is the reason that the close games do not land in the win column.
grumble grumble grumble
Posted by: AlexC at November 24, 2006 1:51 PMbe thankful you still have a football seasons to follow.
grumble grumble.
I am not on the current dump Jake bandwagon. I have had my own dump Jake bandwagon going for several years now. I know about his winning record and his quarterback ratings but he has not ever been, nor will he ever be the guy to get it done. This year the one stat that matters is third down conversions and he has been Mr. three and out. You can't play Peyton Manning and LT and leave those guys on the field for most of the game. It doesn't matter how good your defense is, they can't stay on the field quarter after quarter and deliver a win. Jake had some dropped balls but he had far more overthrown, underthrown and picked off balls. He left too many guys wide open only to throw into coverage. I think he's got Chuck Knoblauch disease. Chuck was the gold glove, world series winning Twin who left for Yankee jack and wound up unable to throw from second to first. Pulling Jake means the end of the season, but it's hard to believe that leaving him in doens't mean the end of the season too. Go Jay!
Posted by: sugarchuck at November 24, 2006 3:22 PMMake both you guys happy: ship Jake to the Eagles.
I hear you on the third down conversions, sc, but if he had a running threat and it wasn't always third and nine...
Maybe it is just as well to move to Cutler. I don't see Mr. Plummer as the champion, but I hear a lot of delusion around here (you moved far away) that this is a super bowl team with the wrong QB. Huh-uh, this is the weakest offense the Broncos have fielded in many years. John Elway himself couldn't take this group past the wild card game.
Posted by: jk at November 24, 2006 3:50 PMThere are many reasons to dislike Jake but there is another huge factor that is rarely mentioned: That small matter of Gary Kubiak's departure, and the predictable growing pains of a new offensive coordinator in the saddle. Bowlen and Shanahan understand the division of blame and if we don't see Jay replace Jake soon I'll take it as confirmation of Rick Dennison's complicity in the team's offensive woes.
Rick Dennison? I thought the OC was Mike Heimerdinger! Shows what I know. http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=357&contentID=5573
Either way, it stands to reason that replacing a veteran OC with a reputation for creative, flexible and customized game plans and a proven ability to call the right play at the right time is going to put your offense on the defensive.
Condolences to Iggles fans who lost their franchise QB for the season - again. My in-laws share your pain.
Posted by: johngalt at November 24, 2006 8:54 PMI must agree that Gumbel was not the "fresh voice" that I had hoped for from the NFL Network.
Also, the Denver running game has strayed from their formula. Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis, and Mike Anderson have one thing that Mike and Tatum Bell simply do not have: power running ability.
However, even with that being said, Denver cannot and will not win a championship with Jake Plummer. It is clear that the coaching staff knew this prior to the start of the season considering that they picked Jay Cutler in the first round of the draft.
Perhaps I am still bitter from Elway and Davis torching my Packers in the Super Bowl.
Posted by: Everyday Economist at November 27, 2006 10:22 AM | What do you think? [5]