It's time Plummer became more than a desert mirage

Sporting News, The, Nov 20, 2000 by Gary Horton

He has been labeled many things as a football player. Jake the Snake ... the next Joe Montana ... the Savior. But unless his play dramatically improves down the stretch this season, you might start hearing Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer's name in the same breath as the word "bust."

While Ryan Leaf sits (on the bench) in San Diego, taking bullets for all the other struggling young passers around the league, Plummer continues to be nothing more than a mirage in the desert. When he came out of nearby Arizona State, even the keenest of talent evaluators--Bill Walsh included--thought this kid was the real deal. Plummer had everything it takes to be a franchise-type quarterback: the arm, the athleticism and the attitude.

More important, he was a winner. Plummer was the cold drink of water that this parched franchise desperately needed. At least that's what everyone in Arizona thought at the time. Four years, two playoff games and a few fourth-quarter comebacks later, the team's $30 million investment continues to leave the Cardinals with a bad case of cottonmouth.

And you thought a bottle of Evian was a rip-off. Think of how owner Bill Bidwill must feel.

Plummer is safer than most players who fail to reach expectations. His contract (which runs through 2002) and position preclude threats of being demoted or waived. Quite frankly, the salary cap and less-attractive options on the quarterback market leave the Cardinals with little choice but to remain committed to him.

What are they supposed to do, take a flier on Leaf?

Now that new coach Dave McGinnis has convinced his players to jump back on board the NFL's version of the S.S. Minnow, Plummer can't keep playing like Gilligan. Bob Denver's character always found a way to foul up what appeared to be a perfect plan, and Plummer often demonstrates the same knack.

He must start by becoming more consistent. From a coach's standpoint, Plummer is the ultimate tease. One play, he'll recognize the blitz, move outside the pocket and deliver a strike on the run as few players can. Two downs later, a team will attack with the same scheme, and he'll sail a pass off his back foot into tight coverage.

His supporters point out that Plummer has directed 12 comeback victories in his short career, but they like to ignore the fact that he's usually the reason the Cardinals are behind in the first place.

The most frustrating thing about Plummer is that he is a leader; he is a competitor, and his teammates do play hard for him. He's the type of guy you want to see succeed because he cares about the game. He works diligently in the offseason to make himself a better player, but anything short of game-speed repetitions, which are impossible to simulate except on game day, simply won't suffice for Plummer.

Plummer isn't the only player standing at an early crossroad in his career:

Albert Connell, Redskins receiver. There isn't an unrestricted free agent in the league with a better opportunity to up his asking price than Connell. With Michael Westbrook sidelined for the rest of the season, Connell must prove that he's capable of being a team's go-to receiver. Most scouts are comfortable with him as a complementary weapon, but thus far he hasn't shown the consistency required of a first option.

In fairness to Connell, who is among the league leaders in yards per catch, the Redskins rarely ask him to run anything other than vertical routes--which has made it difficult for him to produce steady numbers on a weekly basis with quarterback Brad Johnson misfiring on the deep ball.

Ross Verba, Packers offensive lineman. After starting most of his rookie season, including the Super Bowl, at left tackle, it seemed safe to assume that Verba would anchor the Packers' offensive line for the next decade. Verba was so tenacious and technically sound that Mike Holmgren, who rarely entrusts first-year players with first-string jobs, felt comfortable with him protecting Brett Favre's blindside.

Three years later, Verba appears on his way out. Before this season, the Packers asked him to move inside to left guard, a move to which he grudgingly agreed. The decision wasn't sound, based on the fact that his finesse style lends itself to playing on the edge. Verba becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season. Unless he improves in the run game in the upcoming weeks, he will be anchoring elsewhere next season.

RELATED ARTICLE: WEEK 12 MATCHUP

Vinny Testaverde VS. Terrance Shaw

If this Sunday's Jets-Dolphins game unfolds anything like the teams' first meeting in Week 8, the players who make up Miami's nickel package had better come ready to play.

In New York's 40-37 overtime victory October 23, the Jets were able to rally from a 23-point, fourth-quarter deficit and force overtime for one simple reason--the accuracy of quarterback Vinny Testaverde.

So the Dolphins must be prepared to see a lot of multiple-receiver sets. While this doesn't play to the strengths of his personnel, Jets offensive coordinator Dan Henning realizes that spreading the field and forcing Miami into its nickel and dime packages will greatly increase his unit's chances of moving the ball. The guy on the spot will be nickel back Terrance Shaw, who was injured in the first Jets-Dolphins game and watched fill-in Jerry Wilson get picked on all night.