A mere five games ago, the Broncos seemed to have it all.
They had a roster filled with new talent, returning talent, proven new coaches on defense, proven returning coaches on offense and nothing short of Super Bowl expectations.
There seemed to be just one primary issue: Could the Broncos reach the Super Bowl with a second-year quarterback in Jay Cutler, as the Pittsburgh Steelers did two years ago with Ben Roethlisberger?
What happened to those hardly distant days? Today, Cutler is the least of the Broncos’ concerns. In fact, with a porous run defense, poor special teams, season-ending injuries to two starting offensive linemen and a running back carrying the ominous possibility of a year-long suspension, Cutler is pretty much shouldering Broncos hopes for better days ahead, beginning Sunday night against Roethlisberger’s Steelers at Invesco Field at Mile High.
“We’ve had a lot of stuff happen so far, but it’s football. It happens,” Cutler said Wednesday after his lighthearted weekly news conference where he was joined at the podium by receiver Brandon Marshall. “Some elite guys get injuries, we go through a lot of other stuff, and being a quarterback and hopefully one of the leaders on this team, I welcome the pressure.”
Denver’s plan for 2007, since torn up and rewritten, was to give its young QB a strong running game, a three-and-out- caliber defense and consistently decent field position.
The running game has been fine, but there is concern for the future. Left guard Ben Hamilton and center Tom Nalen are finished for the season. And Travis Henry may be running on borrowed time. The running back allegedly tested positive for marijuana last month, a third strike that would result in a 16-game suspension if the NFL overturns his legal argument.
Those situations directly affect the offense’s ability to produce. Indirectly attacking Cutler’s ability to produce points is a Denver defense ranked 32nd in the NFL against the run and special teams ranked 32nd in starting field position.
Go get ’em, kid. Thing is, he will.
“Jay never stresses out about anything,” said Chris Myers, who first replaced Hamilton and now will fill in for Nalen. “Some quarterbacks in the huddle, you can see how they’re stressing out and thinking too much. He comes in the huddle and it was in Buffalo, that third-and-23 or something like that. He came in the huddle and said, ‘Let’s see if this works.’ He said it in a way that cracked everyone up.”
Two Cutler plays later – a pass to Javon Walker and a fourth-down run – the Broncos had their first down and soon would have their first victory. Remember? Those were the days, early September.
But when an offense too often can’t get the ball, and has a long way to go when it finally does, each possession presents little margin for error. Consequently, errors occur. It’s no wonder the Broncos are tied for 27th in scoring with 15.0 points a game despite ranking fifth in overall offense.
“A little more pressure has been put on me to go out there and perform,” Cutler said. “I haven’t played perfect. I know I’ve made mistakes, but I think I’m playing at a decent level. Offensively we’re moving the ball, we’re just not putting up the points we’d like to.”
Marshall said of Cutler: “His hand is always steady. No matter if he throws a pick or he throws a touchdown, he’s the same. He shows a little excitement after a touchdown probably because we run up to him. But man, he’s poised.”
If only he was the primary issue again.
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com
