When replacing a healthy but struggling quarterback, coaches generally pick from two philosophies.
One is the don’t-think, just- go-out-and-play-on-instinct approach in hopes of finding some unexplainable magic. This is how Dallas coach Bill Parcells decided to bring in Tony Romo this season. While the initial results were disastrous, subsequent tests with the undrafted, inexperienced Romo have been remarkably positive.
The other approach is to gradually prepare the new quarterback for his assignment, prepare him some more, and start him off with the scoreboard clean. To understand why Broncos rookie quarterback Jay Cutler’s first NFL regular-season snap will come in his first start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, it helps to understand his coach, Mike Shanahan.
This is a guy who, before he goes to bed at night, makes a list of what he has to do the following day – even if the following day is during the offseason and his tasks amount to playing golf.
During a family vacation in, say, Hawaii, the Shanahans knew they had to start snorkeling by mid-morning, if they wanted to make the luau by early evening. It’s not like Shanahan ever started his day asking his wife, Peggy, and kids, Kyle and Krystal, what they felt like doing today.
“No, I was never like that,” Shanahan said. “I had an idea what we were going to do. When you don’t have much time off, you want to take advantage of it when you do have time off. I think people who might have a lot of time off might treat it differently.”
To Shanahan, spontaneity can be another word for disorganized. During those games this season when Jake Plummer struggled in the first half, Shanahan never considered bringing in Cutler as a second-half spark.
It’s hardly coincidence Shanahan gave the offense to Cutler at a point in the schedule when there were 10 days between games.
“I think the more prepared you are, the more confidence you’ll have,” Shanahan said. “Confidence comes from repetition. When you’re prepared, you’re confident you’re going to know what’s going to happen before it happens.”
Hardly special teams
Then again, if organization and hard work were the only answers, Shanahan’s Broncos would be winning the Super Bowl every year. There’s a decent chance no team has emphasized special teams more than the Broncos in recent weeks. Yet, the Broncos rank 32nd in the 32-team NFL with an average starting field position of the 26.1-yard line and 27th in opponent starting field position with an average of the 31.6-yard line.
“I explain to the players, they come out in practice and prepare themselves well, they do their assignments, make their blocks, and then on Sundays it seems like we’re having a hard time transferring it over,” said Ronnie Bradford, the Broncos’ special-teams coach. “I told the guys, ‘We’re working so hard trying to do the right thing, we wind up doing the wrong thing.’ Guys are pressing so hard and maybe they’re so afraid of making mistakes, they forget to make a play.”
Jake the good scout
Like most of Broncoland, veteran receiver Rod Smith is mentally prepared to move forward with Jay Cutler as his quarterback. Unlike some, Smith feels for former starting quarterback Jake Plummer, his partner on 283 pass completions, including postseason, the past four years.
“It’s tough for me to watch him taking snaps at scout team,” Smith said. “It’s hard for me to watch that, because I know what kind of competitor he is. At the same time, he’s there for Jay, helping him through his reads and things like that.”
Injury update
Broncos right tackle Adam Meadows (hamstring) participated in some, but not all, of the workout at the team’s indoor bubble Thursday. He will try to participate in the full workout today, but a decision on whether he will play against Seattle probably won’t be made until Sunday. Left tackle Erik Pears showed up on the injury report for the first time Thursday with an ankle injury. He’s listed as probable.
Broncos strong safety Nick Ferguson was hobbling around the locker room on crutches Thursday. Ferguson underwent season-ending knee surgery last week.
Seattle receiver Bobby Engram was downgraded from probable to questionable because of continuing complications from a thyroid condition.
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
