Foxborough, Mass. – Jake Plummer didn’t have to roll out, didn’t need the shotgun, didn’t have to engage in another argument with his head coach.
Instead, wonder of wonders, Plummer dropped straight back from New England’s 32-yard line. His feet set, the Broncos’ beleaguered quarterback lofted a spiral to the far right of the goal line. Running simultaneously to the spot where the ball would fall were Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs and Broncos wide receiver Javon Walker.
The only way Walker could catch it is if the ball was thrown perfectly. Touchdown, Javon Walker.
It was the first of two touchdown connections between Plummer and Walker, the key plays in the Broncos’ surprising 17-7 whipping of the formerly undefeated Patriots.
Plummer picked this game, in front of a national television audience Sunday night, to throw his best passes of the season.
“I’m most proud of him,” Walker said. “The quarterback takes the heat for a lot of the stuff that goes wrong. He stuck in there and kept his head up.”
Exhale, Broncos fans. Mike Shanahan did. For the third time this season, the Denver coach was seen chewing out Plummer on the sideline. This time, it was because the quarterback failed to quickly deliver a goal-line pass early in the second quarter, the ball falling incomplete.
“That’s kind of my personality, when two guys compete, that’s part of the game,” Shanahan said. “Heck, I used to do that with all the quarterbacks, every quarterback I’ve been with.”
That drive ended with a short Jason Elam field goal to put Denver up 3-0. In that same sideline discussion, Plummer was seen arguing back.
“It wouldn’t be a bunch of grown men playing football if sometimes you didn’t argue back and forth,” Plummer said. “It was a little bit of an argument, a little trying to get things squared away, what he was trying to convey.”
The next series, all was right with the Broncos. Plummer hit Walker. The Broncos were up 10-0. The defense had little problem thwarting the dink-and-dunk attack of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. After the Broncos became the first team since 1942 to open the season by not allowing a touchdown through the first 11 quarters, their defense watched Plummer and Walker connect for a game-clinching, 83-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
“As much as 11 scoreless quarters is a pretty nice compliment, I don’t think our defense is open to accepting compliments right now,” said linebacker Ian Gold, whose ferocious, impassioned play helps explain his team-high 13 tackles. “It should have been 12 quarters.”
On a warm, humid, autumn night in New England, a sellout crowd at Gillette Stadium, and presumably a large viewing audience back home, had one question answered and another one raised.
When will Jay Cutler replace Plummer at quarterback? That question, perhaps, for the first time, has been given a rest.
Come again why the Patriots are such a big deal? This could be a legitimate inquiry.
The Broncos own the Patriots. Shana- han, the Mastermind, continually out- maneuvers the Genius, Bill Belichick. Now for the final New England insult: Plummer has Brady’s number.
Since Brady became a starting quarterback in 2001, the Patriots have won three Super Bowls but are 1-5 against the Broncos. Head-to-head, Plummer is 3-0 against Brady. Perhaps that statement can be more appropriately worded. Plummer and the Broncos’ defense are 3-0 against Brady and the Pats.
There are two clear differences between this Patriots team and the one that epitomized championship play in recent years – their passing game and kicking. Not so coincidentally, the Patriots no longer have their two best receivers from recent years, Deion Branch and David Givens, or their terrific kicker in the clutch, Adam Vinatieri.
Employing a conservative passing attack Sunday, the Pats got some first downs but could not sustain their drives. When Stephen Gostkowski had his field-goal attempt of 37 yards deflected first by Domonique Foxworth flying in from the left flank, and then by linebacker D.J. Williams, the din at Gillette turned into momentum-killing silence.
It was on the next drive that the Broncos drove for a touchdown. Tatum Bell, promoted to the role of a nonrotation, primary back, dashed off a cut for 19 yards. Bell had 123 yards on 27 carries, and rookie tailback Mike Bell had only 12 yards on four carries.
Three plays later, Plummer kept the drive going by connecting with Rod Smith, who had a nice comeback from a concussion, for 11 yards. Another three plays later, the Broncos had a third-and-1 play at the Pats’ 32.
No doubt expecting a run, the Pats left Hobbs alone to cover Walker. Hobbs did a good job, too. As Plummer dropped back and quickly flicked, Hobbs was with Walker stride for stride.
But Walker has 4 inches and roughly 20 pounds on Hobbs, and he used every bit of them to haul in his first touchdown pass with the Broncos.
“I kind of forgot the feeling of what it was like to score,” Plummer said. “With this offense, it’s a sin if you don’t put it in the end zone. It felt really good. The call came in, they were in the right defense and all I had to do was throw it up there and let Javon go get it.”
Entering their bye week, the Broncos are 2-1 and again looking like possible Super Bowl contenders. With that, their defense rests.
Staff writer Mike Klis can be reached at 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
Extra points
TURNING POINT: Jake, Javon connect
Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer hit receiver Javon Walker, above, for a 32-yard touchdown pass and a 10-0 lead with 56 seconds to go in the first half. It came on third-and-1.
CRAZY PLAY OF THE DAY: Tangled face masks
In the first quarter, Broncos center Tom Nalen and New England defensive tackle Vince Wilfork went face to face. Wilfork’s helmet came off after getting tangled with Nalen’s.
HIT OF THE DAY: Hits like a truck
Linebacker D.J. Williams blasted New England tight end Ben Watson on a short reception, and both players dropped. Watson got up, but Williams was so shaken by the hit that he needed to be helped off.
BESTS: Take a knee
Enthusiasm: New returner Quincy Morgan really wanted to make something happen the first time he touched the ball as a Bronco. He took the opening kickoff 4 yards deep in the end zone, then brought it out as far as he could without going into play.
Opening set: The Broncos opened the game with a two-tight end set with usual starter Stephen Alexander and rookie second-stringer Tony Scheffler in the lineup.
Alignment: On the first series, Plummer went into the shotgun and completed a third-down pass.
Punter: Paul Ernster pinned the Patriots at their 1 on a first-quarter punt. Ernster essentially is trying out for the job over the first four games while Todd Sauerbrun is suspended for using a banned dietary substance.
Run: On third-and-9 from the Broncos 6, Plummer got himself out of trouble by running 11 yards for a first down.
Block: Now healthy, former Colorado State standout Cecil Sapp is playing some in place of Kyle Johnson at fullback. He came up big on a block for Tatum Bell in the first quarter.
WORSTS: Field was terrible
Field: It was a mess. It had to be painted green before the game and the color wore off as the game progressed. Last week, there was a Rolling Stones concert and a soccer game. It was a tired field, and it showed.
Weather: It was rainy at game time. It wasn’t pouring, but there was just enough moisture to be a nuisance. At kickoff, it was 68 degrees with 79 percent humidity.
Decision: On fourth-and-1 from the Denver 36, Patriots coach Bill Belichick went for it early in the second quarter, but the run was stuffed, giving the Broncos a first down at their 37.
Hit: New England defensive lineman Ty Warren plowed into Plummer at the end of a 24-yard pass to David Kircus, sending Denver into the red zone.
– Bill Williamson
Report card
Offense
B: The Broncos’ offense isn’t going to win any highlight awards these days. But Sunday’s performance can win a lot of games. In the end, the Broncos got the big play, ran the ball well and didn’t make any mistakes. That’s winning football. Jake Plummer was efficient, Javon Walker was a game breaker and Tatum Bell was solid.
Defense
A: This defense is becoming special. It went 175 minutes, 53 seconds before giving up a touchdown. That’s 11-plus quarters before allowing a touchdown, the longest streak in the NFL since 1942. This unit made Tom Brady look ordinary. A big-time performance.
Special teams
C: Darrent Williams was nearly stopped for a safety on a punt return, and newcomer Quincy Morgan looked rusty on kickoff returns. The coverage units were so-so.
Coaching
A: Perfect. It was an immaculate game plan. Defensively, the four-man rush confused New England. The Patriots were expecting the Broncos to blitz like crazy, as they did in the playoffs last season. But the Broncos kept it simple. Offensively, the game plan was basic – but Denver opened it up when it was necessary.
Overall
A: This makes up for the opening-day stumble in St. Louis. If you told the Broncos they would be 2-1 at the bye when the schedule came out, they would take it. If you told the Broncos they would be 2-1 after the St. Louis game, they might not have believed you. It’s a perfect way for Denver to go into the bye.
– Bill Williamson
