By Mike Klis
and Bill Williamson
Denver Post Staff Writers
Veteran quarterback Jake Plummer replaced Todd Sauerbrun as the holder for kicker Jason Elam when the Broncos hosted the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.
One reason for the switch was Sauerbrun has added kicking off to his punting job and thus was busy enough. Also, Sauerbrun had struggled with holding, a thankless chore that is tougher than it looks.
Plummer had been a holder previously in his NFL career, but never with the Broncos.
“He’s a natural,” Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said.
Sharpe on sideline
Shannon Sharpe hung out briefly on the Broncos’ sideline before the game. The NFL’s all- time leading receiver among tight ends was in town to make an appearance for a cellphone company and decided to watch his former team play the Chiefs.
Now an NFL analyst for CBS Sports, Sharpe thought the Broncos would win, citing his former coach, Shanahan, as the difference.
“No matter the kind of team the Chiefs have had, Mike usually figured out how to beat them here,” Sharpe said. “I don’t see tonight being any different. But they have to start running the ball.”
Griffin on inactive list
With tailback Tatum Bell healthy, reacquired running back Quentin Griffin was inactive Monday night. Griffin returned to the Broncos last Tuesday after being cut Sept. 3.
Joining Griffin on Denver’s inactive list were wide receivers David Terrell and Todd Devoe, cornerback Karl Paymah, defensive tackle Monsanto Pope, tight ends Nate Jackson and Wesley Duke and defensive end Marco Coleman.
Defensive tackle Demetrin Veal played in place of Pope for the second consecutive week. Coleman also was inactive for the second consecutive week. Jackson and Devoe were the only Denver players inactive because of injury. Both are likely to be healthy this week.
Working overtime
While the Denver players relaxed between meetings Monday before their game against the Chiefs, the Denver coaching staff worked on a game plan to use Sunday at Jacksonville.
“You’ve got to work ahead in a short week,” Shanahan said.
Footnotes
Broncos linebacker Louis Green injured his left hamstring early in the first quarter of Monday’s game and did not return. … Kansas City offensive tackle Willie Roaf, a longtime NFL star, was inactive because of a hamstring injury. … Former Broncos star Karl Mecklenburg was an honorary captain for the team Monday night. … With the Chiefs’ dangerous Dante Hall back deep, Sauerbrun’s four kickoffs in the first quarter went 1 to 5 yards deep in the end zone. Hall returned them all, but never past the Chiefs’ 30-yard line.
