Thread: Vote for NFL Pro-Bowl Teams

Nice. How bout Jay Cutler comin in for Plummer?

I kinda wanna give Plummer the chance the finish this season. Let Cutler sit for a year, and he's starter next year.

Originally Posted by Goodfella9783

Nice. How bout Jay Cutler comin in for Plummer?

thats how denver fans feel.

Originally Posted by bio-chem

thats how denver fans feel.

I don't know why panic yet. We split with KC, swept the raiders, and can still split with SD. We're still in the race.

I hope Cooley goes Pro Bowl.

Sweeping the raiders isn't exactly astonishing nut.

Yeah I think they should definately start to be a little concerned. However, I still believe they are a force come playoffs. These recent losses are going to make them pay when Home field comes into play though.

Originally Posted by goandykid

I hope Cooley goes Pro Bowl.

Sweeping the raiders isn't exactly astonishing nut.

I know that, I'm speaking in terms of division and conference record.

And, for Denver and Oakland fans those games are big regardless of records.

How are you a Denver and ND fan and live in MD?

Originally Posted by goandykid

How are you a Denver and ND fan and live in MD?

I'm actually from CT..... Broncos, Dodgers, Knicks, Whalers (hurricanes). Go figure, right.

ND is sort of a family tradition. Sometimes I wish my grandfather had been a Trojans fan.

Haha wow. How did you pick up on all those random teams though? Did you move alot?

Originally Posted by goandykid

Haha wow. How did you pick up on all those random teams though? Did you move alot?

No, CT is kind of in sports limbo. Kirk Gibson, John Elway helped. Knicks and Whalers were local. I do feel kinda deprived during baseball season. CT is probably 50/50 Yankees / Red Sox... it's a fun time around there.

Originally Posted by the nut

I don't know why panic yet. We split with KC, swept the raiders, and can still split with SD. We're still in the race.

we have lost our last 2 games against division rivals. one at home. we are 2-3 in our last 5 games. san diego and kc are on the way up and the passing game is not our only concern right now. if panic wasnt an issue we wouldnt be making the move to an untried rookie qb

Originally Posted by bio-chem

we have lost our last 2 games against division rivals. one at home. we are 2-3 in our last 5 games. san diego and kc are on the way up and the passing game is not our only concern right now. if panic wasnt an issue we wouldnt be making the move to an untried rookie qb

Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. Running game is horrible. Injuries to Brandon, Lepsis, Brown, and Ferguson don't help either. Only bright spots are Wilson, Bailey, and Walker right now. Maybe Elway, uh I mean Cutler will spark this team.

Seahawks, @ SD, @ Cards, Bengals, SF remaining... It aint gonna be easy.

Arizona and SF you should win. Seahawks have been shit recently. Good luck on the other two.

Cutler era expected to start with Plummer's benching
Updated 11/26/2006 7:45 PM ET



The Associated Press
The Jay Cutler Era is expected to begin Monday, when the reeling Denver Broncos return from a three-day furlough, a team in disarray.
The Broncos, coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in two years, face the Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 3, and the rookie from Vanderbilt will almost assuredly be the one taking snaps from center Tom Nalen instead of Jake Plummer, who has started the Broncos' last 46 games.

After the Broncos blew a 17-point second-half lead to San Diego at home last week, it was widely speculated that Plummer needed a magnificent game at Kansas City on Thursday night to keep his starting job.

He came nowhere near that in a 19-10 loss to the Chiefs, and seemed resigned afterward that he'd be serving as a backup for the first time in his 10-year NFL career.

Coach Mike Shanahan was planning to meet with his staff Sunday, but the soonest he would address the issue publicly was after Monday's practice, team spokesman Jim Saccomano said.

The Denver Post, citing sources it didn't identify, reported Sunday that Shanahan had already decided to replace Plummer, who is 40-18 as Denver's starter, with Cutler, the 11th pick in the draft last April.

Cutler's agent, Bus Cook, was on a business trip Sunday and didn't immediately return a call to the Associated Press. Neither did Plummer's agent, David Dunn.

Plummer said Thursday night that he hadn't been told his days as the starter were over, but he appeared to be steeling himself for a benching nonetheless.

"I'm the starter right now, and if Mike wants to put Jay in there, then my play hasn't warranted him to not do it. Whatever he wants to do is what I have to go with," Plummer said.

Just a week ago, the Broncos, despite myriad problems, were in position for the No. 2 playoff seed and had their sights set on a first-round bye. Now, they're 7-4 and clinging to the sixth and final playoff spot with five games left, including three difficult matchups against Seattle, San Diego and Cincinnati.

Quarterback is hardly the only weak link in Denver, but the Broncos are counting on a switch there having a domino effect.

With the strong-armed Cutler, they hope:

• To capitalize on the talents of wide receiver Javon Walker, their best offensive player who has averaged just four catches for 67 yards in the last three games.

• That defenses will respect the downfield pass more and put fewer men near the line, opening up running lanes for a stumbling ground game to finally gain some traction.

• Their third-down conversion rate will improve, igniting the offense, which is averaging 17.7. points, the lowest in Shanahan's tenure.

• Their beleaguered defense will be fresher with more time on the sideline and return to its early season form when Denver allowed just two TDs in the first six games.

• Their awful special teams will perform better with less exposure.

• And there will no longer be a buzz in the locker room about when the Broncos will ditch Plummer.

Cutler has not taken a snap in the regular season but was impressive in the preseason, when he completed 40 of 62 passes for 561 yards, four touchdowns and one interception for an exceptional passer rating of 108.3.

After the Broncos' latest loss, Cutler toed the line between a supportive backup and an eager rookie displaying confidence in his ability to lead the team to the playoffs. But he acknowledged he'll have to shake off the rust.

Plummer, who threw 18 TD passes and was picked off just seven times in leading the Broncos to the AFC championship game last season, has been looking over his shoulder ever since the Broncos maneuvered to select Cutler on draft day.

"The speculation didn't start yesterday," Plummer said. "It started the day they drafted Jay, so I've been dealing with it."

Plummer acknowledged this month that his sputtering start had a lot to do with his unease about Cutler's presence. He's been bothered more by defenses intent on pinning him in the pocket and taking away his trademark rollouts, where he's much more effective.

Plummer has thrown 12 interceptions to go with 11 touchdowns, and he's completed 55.6% of his passes for a meager 6.33 yards per attempt and a middling quarterback rating of 70.5.

It didn't help that he lost his two starting tackles —Matt Lepsis to a season-ending knee injury and George Foster to inconsistency. Or that the tailback tandem of Tatum Bell and Mike Bell has been terrible. Or that Rod Smith has lost a step and can't make the big plays to bail him out anymore. Or that the receiving tight end has all but disappeared from Denver's offense.

"We all need to play better," tight end Stephen Alexander said. "Unfortunately, he's getting all the blame. I think that is unfair. We all need to do a better job and help him out."

Barring a last-minute change of heart by Shanahan, it's too late to save Plummer's job. Whether it's too late to save the season is another matter that will hinge heavily on Shanahan's decision.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Posted 11/26/2006 6:38 PM ET

Originally Posted by goandykid

Arizona and SF you should win. Seahawks have been shit recently. Good luck on the other two.

thats the point this team should be a 12 or 13 win team, and we are playing for 9 or 10