Plummer’s the patsy, not the problem

Van Walker, Special to the News

Published September 18, 2006 at midnight

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There is no quarterback controversy in Denver.

Jake Plummer currently stinks. There can be no controversy about that. Jay Cutler simply isn’t ready yet, and there can be no controversy about that. No matter who lines up behind center, this team has the look of a five-win dog.

Changing the quarterback merely changes the excuses, but not the results.

This is an offense that has managed but one touchdown in eight quarters and 19 points overall in two games against less-than-stellar competition. An offense that was comatose against St. Louis and Kansas City will find the going much rougher against New England and Baltimore.

Even the ol’ horse-toothed car dealer his own self couldn’t move this bunch off the lot.

There is no quarterback controversy because, even given Plummer’s obvious limitations (like the way his brain short-circuits in the face of a determined pass rush), one cannot lay all of the blame at his fallible feet. For example, what in the name of Dick Jauron was Mike Shanahan thinking, calling a 3-yard pass route on third-and-5? It gets worse. In the fourth quarter, Denver had a chance to take the game by the throat: first-and-goal at the 1 yard line. Three feeble attempts later, field goal.

It says so right here that it is not the quarterback’s fault if the offense can’t get three feet for a touchdown.

Three lousy feet? Surely, someone here remembers young Mike Bell going over the top at the goal line just last week?

At some point, someone calling the plays (or someone in charge of that guy) should have gotten in touch with his inner caveman, sent a pair of tight ends into the game and called for fullback Kyle Johnson to blast straight into the B-gap for the go-ahead score. That’s a head coach’s decision. And if it didn’t work the first time, you do it again on second down. And if it didn’t work then, you do it again on third down. And if it didn’t work then, you do it again on fourth down, and you punch the ball in. And you beat your hairy chest and howl at the sky because this is football.

Again, someone wearing a headset makes that call, not someone wearing a helmet.

Still, someone must be held accountable, and it won’t be resident genius Mike Shanahan because manure doesn’t roll uphill. Fairly or not, Plummer’s job is forfeited because Shanahan’s isn’t, and the offense will continue to offend, but that will be OK with the hyperventilators on the radio because "this kid Cutler’s got a lotta upside" and "if you’re gonna stink, you might as well do it with a rookie learning on the job."

Like I said, only the excuses will change, not the results.

The only controversy is whether Plummer takes the fall for Shanahan.

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