Houston – A quarterback usually can see the pressure coming from the end, or the corner or right before his eyes.
This year, for the first time in many years, Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer may feel some heat coming up from behind.
As the Broncos were beating the Houston Texans 20-14 in the teams’ preseason opener Saturday night at Reliant Stadium, backup quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt showed his greatest asset might not have been his ability to lead, escape, scramble or throw.
It may be his presence will help bring out the best in Plummer.
So this is why Broncos coach Mike Shanahan made the rather daring, early-in-camp decision to propel Van Pelt to No. 2 on the depth chart.
“He brings a lot of fire, a lot of passion to the game,” Plummer said of Van Pelt. “In some ways, he reminds me of myself when I was younger.”
Before Van Pelt made his much- anticipated debut as an NFL backup quarterback, Plummer showed who’s No. 1. Down 7-0, Plummer was given a third series with the first-team offense and efficiently moved the Broncos on an 11-play, 71-yard, game-tying drive against the Texans’ first-team defense.
The march culminated with Plummer rolling out on third down and making a 3-yard touchdown toss to new tight end Stephen Alexander.
That’s right, Denver fans. The Broncos’ first-team offense is 1-for-1 in red zone touchdowns.
Plummer passed with precision, hitting Rod Smith for 17 yards along the sideline and Ashley Lelie on a 30-yard go-route during the touchdown drive.
“It’s all the work we’ve done in the offseason,” said Plummer, who was 6-for-10 for 76 yards and no mistakes. “We put a lot of time in those camps. I felt comfortable out there.”
The game tied and his job done after 18 plays – six to eight more than planned – Plummer gave way to Van Pelt, a former Colorado State star.
Given his big chance, Van Pelt almost overslept. On Friday morning, Van Pelt said he got up early before the team’s walk-through practice to study the playbook. When his eyelids got heavy, he set the alarm, but made the near-critical mistake of hitting the snooze button.
The team bus wound up leaving the hotel without him.
Fortunately for Van Pelt, his biological clock went off before he was officially late – he walked into the team’s indoor workout Friday precisely as it started at 8:30 a.m. – but nevertheless, on time is late in the NFL. He was grounded to his hotel room for the afternoon and expects to be fined.
“It was a bonehead mistake on my part,” Van Pelt said. “In hindsight, it was an honest mistake, but that’s kind of me. Now if I sleep another five, 10 minutes, we have a problem.”
Awake and adrenaline pumping by the time he stepped on the field in the second quarter Saturday, Van Pelt didn’t wait long to exhibit athletic excitement. With his father, former NFL linebacker great Brad Van Pelt, looking on from the sideline, Bradlee Van Pelt’s third play was a quarterback draw that he turned into a 40-yard gain to the Texans’ 34. He then completed passes for 17 yards to Darius Watts and Jeb Putzier for 11, and the Broncos had first-and-goal at the 8.
That drive stalled and ended in a short Jason Elam field goal, as did another Van Pelt-led move to the 6 early in the fourth quarter.
But for a first preseason game, Shanahan was pleased with his quarterbacks’ play – especially after third-stringer Matt Mauck hit Todd Devoe on a short slant that turned into a game-clinching, 92- yard touchdown pass. That finished off a splendid quarterback game that started with the starter.
Staff writer Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
