From his matinee-idol eyes to the winning lines of a strong jaw, Tom Brady is the face of the NFL.
Jake Plummer is some goofy dude in a beard.
From all appearances, this looks like a mismatch.
With Brady as their quarterback, the New England Patriots needed to build a bigger trophy case.
He has the look. From corporate America to actress Bridget Moynahan, everybody loves Brady.
With Plummer as their quarterback, two teams have won one lousy playoff game during his nine-year NFL career. Forget the Lombardi Trophy. Jake can’t get his hands on an 89-cent comb.
But it is Plummer’s image as a clutch performer that’s scruffy. He’s all hair and no substance.
When Denver plays the defending league champs in the playoffs, it’s a must-win for only one quarterback.
This is the chance for Plummer to stop being regarded as an NFL slacker.
This is the time for the country to see there’s more under his helmet than a rebel living in his own private Idaho.
This is the best shot Plummer has ever had at winning it all.
“That’s why I came here,” Plummer said Tuesday after I asked him how much he relished the opportunity afforded these Broncos. “I remember back when I came here as a free agent, it was because I knew that I would eventually get the chance to hopefully win a Super Bowl.”
It seems like the NFL has been waiting for him to grow up forever.
“I have made plenty of mistakes in my career, so I know how to bounce back from them,” Plummer said.
Look beyond the beard, and there were numerous positive signs this year. Victories up, bonehead moves down, Plummer stopped writing his legacy in crayon.
At age 31, isn’t it about time?
It’s now or never for Plummer.
In this game, nobody has more at stake than Jake.
While far too much time has passed since Denver last won in the playoffs, it has been even longer since Plummer led Arizona to his lone NFL postseason victory.
Fair or not, Plummer will not be fully embraced by Broncomaniacs as a member of the family, unless he can beat Brady’s bunch.
Lose, and you can bet the job of Denver quarterback will reopen for loud discussion on local sports-talk radio first thing Monday morning.
If everybody in Colorado knows that John Elway ain’t coming back, then why is the ghost of No. 7 in the stadium for every home game?
Elway, however, was never asked to do the daunting task that awaits Plummer now.
Have the Broncos ever embarked on a tougher road to the Super Bowl?
All the Patriots are trying to become, in Plummer’s words, is the greatest NFL dynasty that ever was.
Ruin that date with history, and the Broncos’ reward would probably be another January trip to beautiful downtown Indianapolis, where each of their past two seasons have ended with a cold, hard thud.
Line up all the quarterbacks remaining in the AFC tournament, and nine out of 10 general managers in the league would pick Plummer last.
Denver coach Mike Shanahan’s commitment to run the football more frequently than every team this side of Pittsburgh was a better gift to Plummer than a $6 million bonus the quarterback banked earlier this season.
But these are not the same beat-up Patriots, pounded for 178 rushing yards during a Denver victory in October. In the second half of the season, which team had the NFL’s toughest defense against the run? New England.
The shaggy beard is the last wild hair left in Plummer. Jake the Snake has been deprogrammed.
“He plays smarter. He doesn’t make the same mistakes. He doesn’t force balls,” Denver receiver Ashley Lelie said. “If the play’s not there, he’ll do something that allows him to live until the next play.”
But can careful and boring beat Brady? I’m guessing the Broncos will need more than No-Mistake Jake at quarterback against New England.
This is Plummer’s big chance to look like a hero.
Watch Mark Kiszla during “Classic Now” on ESPN Classic. He can be reached at 303-820-5438 or mkiszla@denverpost.com.
