Undefeated and walking on sunshine, the Broncos exude an optimistic vibe. Why? You could draw a big heart, and inside it affectionately scribble: Shanny + Jay-C.
Coach Mike Shanahan loves the Kid QB.
Unlike his usually successful but often-quarrelsome and constantly tense relationship with former Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer, Shanahan has found a kindred spirit in 24-year-old Jay Cutler.
"The difference between the two is Jay loves football," Shanahan said Monday. "Now, I'm not saying Jake doesn't love the game ..."
But Denver, like any NFL city, is a much happier place when the coach has total trust in his quarterback.
"Jake was not a student of the game," Shanahan said.
In the afterglow of two stirring victories to open the 2007 season, Shanahan stood in a hallway at the team's Dove Valley headquarters and revealed the most important reason he and Plummer ultimately could not get along together, although the coach retains a genuine appreciation for the 39 regular-season games they won together during the course of four sometimes-rocky seasons.
"He played well, he had success. But Jake loves the game on Sunday. I don't think he really likes football Monday through Friday," Shanahan told me in a steady voice, with a what-can-you-do shrug.
The coach paused, wondering if his words sounded too harsh for a quarterback who won more than 70 percent of his starts for the Broncos.
Rest of the story:
The Denver Post - Shanahan likes what QB loves
Shanahan likes what QB loves
Shanahan likes what QB loves
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