The awakening of Plummer and Bell

By Robert Rousseau  |   Monday, October 30, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Denver Broncos
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The Denver Broncos' defense sure didn't look like it had been giving up only 7.3 points per game this season during Sunday's 34-31 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. However, who does when they play Manning in the regular season?

Cornerback Champ Bailey seemed to say it best.

"When you play a guy like Peyton Manning, and the guy's going to put it on there on the money, what can you do?"

Answer: lose.

Manning had another one of those days where he seemed nearly unstoppable; the kind that always makes you think that this is the year he's going to comes through in the playoffs. But here's the thing - two players, really - that Denver can be happy about in the aftermath of the defeat.

The names Jake Plummer and Mike Bell.

Plummer's passing statistics weren't overly impressive. After all, he only went 13-of-21 for 174 yards and one touchdown. However, the stats didn't tell the story. With the exception of a third-quarter fumble, he was on all day (in a way that hadn't occurred all season). In fact, he was like the Plummer we all used to know, moving around in the pocket, running when needed and staring down corners only to go the other way. Two plays in the second quarter would seem to serve as prime examples.

On a third-and-12 at the start of the quarter, Plummer rolled right and then fooled everyone, going deep in the other direction to David Kircus for 45 yards.

On a third-and-5 with 1:11 left in the quarter, he tucked the ball and found a hole in the defense even Jim Nantz couldn't see, on the way to a first down. This prompted Phil Simms to say the following.

"Would you say he slithered for the first down?"

You're darn right he did, Phil.

Then there was Mike Bell. Next to Tatum, Mike had seemed almost like a forgotten man up to this point. Not on Sunday, though. He galloped like a power runner, downfield the entire time, willing and able to send people to their maker if need be on his way to a 15-carry, 136-yard rushing performance.

It all went something like this. Bob, weave, then slam!

Of course, it's impossible to feel good about a loss; but in the same breath, Manning was just on fire. As Champ Bailey said, "what can you do?"

Still, the Broncos' offense may have turned a corner in this game. If so, two very important people were a part of the change.

A quarterback known as "The Snake" and a running back named Bell. Mike Bell, that is.

Denver Broncos commentary, courtesy of RealFootball365.com
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About Robert Rousseau

Robert Rousseau is a sports writer that has been published in a variety of print and online venues. He’s been writing for RealFootball365.com for almost three years now. When Rousseau isn’t writing about college football he tends to be penning mixed martial arts pieces for MMAFighting.com or ...
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