| Arizona offensive coordinator Marc Trestman was on the
phone, discussing Jake Plummer's disappointing 1999 season, when Plummer himself walked
into his office and interrupted the conversation to ask a question. Trestman answered the
fourth-year quarterback, then returned to the phone. "His ears must've been
burning," Trestman explained to the caller.
It's no wonder that Plummer might get hot under the collar at the mention of last
season. After a 1998 season that saw him lead the Cardinals to their first playoff berth
since 1982 and first playoff victory since 1947, Plummer struggled through an
injury-riddled '99 season. Despite starting in only 12 games, Plummer led the league in
interceptions (24) and finished with the lowest passer rating (50.8) of any quarterback in
the league.
The resurrection of Plummer's game to its '98 level may be the single biggest issue in
the Cardinals camp this summer, and Trestman is working with the quarterback to solve last
year's problems. The pair has worked 2-3 times per week this spring to improve Plummer's
game management. From the outset, Trestman advised Plummer to dismiss last season and
consider it an "an aberration and not a reality."
"We've put '99 behind us and built a bridge between '98 and 2000, so to speak, in
terms of getting him ready for the season," Trestman said.
The Cardinals hope that bridge can take Plummer to better game management. Too many
times last season, Trestman felt, Plummer went for the big play instead of managing drives
within the framework of a game plan. Plummer's impulse to swing for the fences may have
been borne from the '98 season, when the "Cardiac Cards" notched seven of their
nine wins by three points or less in the closing minutes. But Trestman wants his star to
mature into a quarterback that relies less on big plays and more on drive-manufacturing
and ball control.
"Jake has this great belief in himself that he can always make the play,"
Trestman said. "He's come to terms with it more so that he doesn't have to do that
all the time. He can save those moments for the right time of the game. It all goes into
game management and managing a game early on and trying to see the play in the framework
of the whole picture and not one specific play."
The addition of RB Thomas Jones, drafted seventh overall in April, should give the
Cards a strong offensive corps for Plummer to lead. Jones is a versatile back with great
hands and surprising toughness for his size (5-10, 216). With Jones and a healthy Michael
Pittman, Plummer may have an effective ground game behind him for the first time in his
career. Trestman is already high on Jones' play-making abilities and has tabbed him as a
"difference-maker," both for the team's and Plummer's performance.
"With the addition of [Jones], that gives us a guy who might be into a flare
control position in a pattern who could turn it into a big play if [Plummer] just
continues reading his progression and doesn't come out of it too quick," Trestman
said.
Plummer's receiving corps should also be solid. With Rob Moore, Frank Sanders and David
Boston, the Cards have an experienced 1-2-3 rotation that should stretch opposing defenses
across the field.
Instrumental in Plummer's maturing process, according to Trestman, is letting these
other offensive threats pick up some of the slack and ridding himself of the belief that
he alone is responsible for the fate of his team.
"No quarterback has ever been able to win on a consistent basis on his own ability
to make big plays," Trestman said. "He's always done it by spreading it around
and taking some of the burden off of his shoulders and putting it on the players around
him."
There has been talk that if the Cardinals urge Plummer to play more conservatively that
his performance will be hurt. Many say Plummer is only able to succeed in a fast-break
style of offense and that the Cardinals hurt themselves when they tighten the reins. But
Trestman denies that the Cardinals are asking Plummer to abandon his preferred style of
play.
"He has every mechanism he needs to be able to do his job. No one here is putting
any reins on him and trying to limit his ability to do the things that he does best,"
Trestman said. "That would be counterproductive to all of us."
Trestman said he has seen an improved work ethic in Plummer both on the field and in
the video room and expects him to rebound this year. Trestman expects Plummer, entering
his fourth pro season, to grow in his role as a team leader.
"He's not unique in terms of guys in this league who have gone through what he's
going through," Trestman said. "Elway, Marino, Young - as they grew on the job,
they realized there's a maturing factor of not always having to be the guy." |
