Jake Plummer or Jay Cutler? Inquiring minds want to note. …
The best players play. If I had a dollar for every time Mike Shanahan has said that, I’d be buying myself a Porsche for Christmas.
Which brings us to Cutler, the kid of the hour. Know this about Shanahan: If he plays that card, it would be because he thought Cutler potentially could play better than Plummer. Not next year, not five years from now. Right here, right now.
Cutler appears destined for stardom, but Shanahan isn’t about to punt the season just to give the kid some experience. If he goes there, it would be a last-ditch attempt to spark a lethargic offense whose issues run well beyond the player taking the snaps.
It’s not like Shanahan hasn’t made similar moves before. In the past few weeks alone, George Foster has been benched and Tony Scheffler and Mike Bell have been relegated to the ranks of inactive-list afterthoughts.
Sure, benching Plummer would be Shanahan’s boldest move yet, but his motive would be the same. It would have nothing to do with giving up on this season. He would never do that, not with the Broncos at 7-4 and looking good for a playoff spot.
Stuff happens in the NFL. Just because you’re struggling one day doesn’t mean you will be a month down the road. Case in point: The Steelers, who fell to 7-5 last season before running the table and winning the Super Bowl. …
Do I think the Broncos can do that? Not for a minute. But if you’re Shanahan or you play for him, keeping the faith is part of the job description. …
Just wondering: How long before the first “They should have stuck with Plummer” rant arrives in the old e-mail bag? …
Finally, some Rockies news on the hot stove front. Seems they’re trying to lure away Alfonso Soriano’s valet for 12 bucks an hour. …
Truth is, I’m trying to keep an open mind about the Rox. But that could change, depending on whether they bring in a legitimate center fielder and make a sincere effort to keep Jason Jennings. …
If you’re Dan O’Dowd, Jennings’ lack of arm problems is both the solution and the problem. With his clean injury history, J.J. would get a four- or five-year offer if he hits the market. It may make better business sense for the Rockies to turn up the humidor than go there with a pitcher. …
Trivia time. What do Lou Holtz, Nick Saban, Pete Carroll, Larry Coyer and Larry Coker have in common? Answer several dots below. …
Headline: Morneau wins MVP despite small-market status. Bottom line: Not necessarily. Justin Morneau might have won it because of his small-market status. Derek Jeter had a career year, but there’s no denying being in the Yankees lineup hurt him with the voters. It’s like being a Rockies hitter. If you’re going to win the MVP, you’ve got to blow away the competition. …
Not that the Big Apple media has taken Jeter’s snub personally, but here’s the headline in the New York Post the day after the award was announced: “JEETED/ Anti-Yankee yokes cheat MVP Derek”. …
First, A’s pitcher Esteban Loaiza gets pinched for DUI when his Ferrari is clocked at almost 130 mph. Now comes 49ers wide receiver Antonio Bryant, who got a DUI last week after driving his Lamborghini 100-plus mph. Let’s give credit where credit is due, though. Neither was driving in a school zone in the middle of the afternoon. …
Former Michigan State coach George Perles, to the Detroit Free Press, on his first pregame chat with Bo Schembechler: “I told him that I was scared. And you know what he told me? ‘You should be.”‘ …
Florida coach Urban Meyer says if Michigan and Ohio State get a rematch, the powers that be need to immediately institute a playoff system. Right. Like that’s going to happen. And when he’s finished pulling that off, he’s going to have the DH abolished. …
Trivia answer. Each used to coach the defensive backs at Ohio State. …
We’ve reached the 20th paragraph of today’s column. Time to mention that Michelle Wie finished next-to-last in a men’s tournament in Japan. Excuse me, but what part of no interest anymore doesn’t this kid get? …
The Mavericks started 0-4, but had won eight straight going into Saturday night. I know what you’re thinking. If this were baseball, the feds would be launching an investigation. …
It took 12 weeks, but the NFL finally had to enforce its blackout policy. And what city are we talking about? No, not Oakland or Phoenix. Today’s Bills-Jaguars game won’t be shown in Buffalo.
Catch Jim Armstrong from 6-9 a.m. during “The Press Box” on ESPN 560 AM. He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
