The Denver Broncos have been struggling to score, but former quarterback Jake Plummer believes that this week is the best chance at kick-starting the offense.
“I have a feeling they’re going to put it on Cincinnati,” Plummer told Shawn Drotar and T.J. Carpenter on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7. “They’re really mad, they’re frustrated, and when that happens with a group of professional athletes that have the skill set to beat anybody in the league, when you get frustrated and mad enough to band together — which I know they did this week — it can get pretty nice on Sunday.”
The Broncos’ offense has struggled mightily since week two of the season, when they routed the Cowboys 42-17. Since then, the offense is averaging 14.3 points per game, and has switched quarterback Trevor Siemian out in favor of Brock Osweiler against the Philadelphia Eagles in week nine.
Plummer believes the offense’s woes are a result of players trying to do too much.
“You can’t force it,” Plummer said. “You have to let things happen. You’ve got to get the ball in the hands of the guys that you’re supposed to get it to, and some of that is guys making plays. Not every play is designed to end up in the end zone as a touchdown when you throw it.”
Attempting to force plays is part of what led to Siemian being benched after week eight, who has ten interceptions against him this season, compared to only nine touchdowns. Osweiler hasn’t fared much better, either, throwing three interceptions to two touchdowns in his two games of action. The red zone has been a big issue for the team as well, scoring on only 43.3 percent of their trips inside the 20-yard line this season, ranking a miserable 30th in the league.
The switch at quarterback didn’t solve many of the problems, and a fear that the Broncos’ locker room may be divided only further magnifies the issues that the offense is currently going through. A divided locker room, and a divided quarterback meeting room, though, is a situation that Plummer hopes the Broncos can avoid.
“It’s a tough situation,” Plummer said. “I hope that all three of those guys — and my talks with Trevor and Brock have been to — make sure you stick together. There’s nothing worse than a quarterback room divided that doesn’t root for each other and help each other out. And obviously, Paxton [Lynch] wants to play, right? He wants to get out there, and so does Trevor and so does Brock, but only one guy can really do it. So when the guy that’s out there, the guy the coach chooses, is out there, you’ve got to support him.”
Plummer continued with how the quarterback that is chosen also has to take a leadership role with the team.
“The guy that’s out there also has got to be a leader. He’s got to make sure he sets the tone. Set the tone at practice, in the locker room, in the weight room, and everything. And when it comes down to it on Sunday — make some plays.”
But despite all the offensive turmoil and the Broncos’ current positioning, Plummer feels that it’s not impossible that the team could make a run for the rest of the season.
“I think they’re right there,” Plummer said. “I’d love to see a miraculous finish, because nothing’s better than against all odds — and against even your own fans’ beliefs — pulling out miracles. That’s the fun in this, now this team’s poised to, hopefully, surprise us all, go out there, and do something miraculous.
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