No, I haven't forgotten the two exceptions to the rule: Dan Marino and Ben Roethlisberger. Those exceptional rookie quarterbacks were helped by landing on relatively loaded team. Remember, Marino slipped to 27th for a Miami team that had just lost the Super Bowl.

So instead of hoping that Cutler is the next Marino or Roethlisberger, Denver fans should pray that he's merely solid -- which Plummer hasn't been. (The Snake's 70.5 rating is barely better than starting rookie quarterbacks.)

Cutler has a chance to be decent in Denver's stretch run, especially after several months practicing against a talented defense featuring an all-pro cornerback in Champ Bailey.

Everybody Loves Cutler?

Broncos fans certainly do now. But I hope this isn't just a fling. It will take a while to concoct a catchy phrase, and some time for Cutler to become a star.

Nunyo's Notes

Jim Mora Sr. was imprudent on multiple levels to concur in a radio interview that Michael Vick is a "coach killer." It's not just that it put his son in a no-win situation. Whatever qualms there are about Vick's passing ability, the guy has been a winner his entire NFL career after turning around a moribund franchise. And Vick's previous coach, Dan Reeves, still praises the quarterback at every opportunity.

It's interesting that Mora Sr. was fired after a 2001 season that included differences with Peyton Manning. Mora Sr. had singled out Manning after he threw four interceptions in a Nov. 25 loss. Colts GM Bill Polian fired Mora for refusing to alter the defensive schemes of a unit that allowed an NFL-high in points. But it certainly didn't help that Sr. alienated Manning by calling his performance "pitiful."

Mora Sr.'s take on Vick wasn't surprising. Last February, after I wrote a column about Vick, I bumped into Jr. at the Indianapolis Combine, and he thanked me for my take. But Jr. also made a revealing remark about debating his dad over Vick's value. One thing is certain: Mora, Jr. is an extremely strong believer in Vick, and it's not simply a political decision. So I hope that Sr.'s opinion doesn't color Vick's relationship with Jr. ...

How tenuous is NFL life for a kicker? Mike Vanderjagt went from being the most accurate kicker in league history to being released Monday. But you could see it coming if you read that fascinating 8,634-word profile of Bill Parcells by Michael Lewis in The New York Times Magazine. Parcells was concerned about Vanderjagt even in preseason. One revealing part of the article -- maybe too revealing -- was this Parcells quote, apparently about the allure of coaching: "As you get older your needs diminish. I need less money. I need less sex." ...

Indianapolis' offense is so potent that it dropped 45 on Philadelphia with Marvin Harrison making only one catch. One postmortem that intrigued me was the Indianapolis media calling out Harrison for allegedly sulking at being a decoy during Joseph Addai's tour de force. But Tony Dungy, a straight shooter, defended his all-world receiver. And according to Indy, Harrison's blocking in the game was graded as an A+, so he was playing as hard as always.

I think that Harrison is partly a victim of his sterling reputation. It's naive to think that he doesn't get upset about not getting the ball, whether it's a blowout or exhibition. And he couldn't have been thrilled making one catch with a Philadelphia-area contingent in the stands. As Manning told Mike Silver last month about his talented receiving corps: "I've never met a great receiver who doesn't have some sort of selfishness, from Jerry Rice on down. But the nice thing about our guys is that if they don't get catches, there's not a press conference. We talk about it, and we move on." Now, if Harrison flips fans the bird or holds his first press conference, then I'll be surprised. ...

One outrageous incident last week that inexplicably got minimal play until blogs like Deadspin.com and profootballtalk.com gave it traction was ESPN broadcaster Michael Irvin's racial eugenics. It culminated in an apology Monday on Dan Patrick's radio show, where Irvin first made remarks that Romo's mobility was evidence that his ancestors were black. (For the record, they're Mexican.) According to Irvin, Romo's "Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandma" must have had Jungle Fever. Yeah, like the ancestors of Steve Young, Mark Brunell, David Carr, etc. Keep your day job, Michael, which you're lucky to still have. (For those with the argument about the double standard regarding Rush Limbaugh being forced to resign, Irvin was apparently joking, so I can see why ESPN doesn't view it equally. Limbaugh was serious, confirming Al Franken's book.)

Speaking of racial comments, there are rumors that Judith Regan is negotiating with Michael Richards to publish a tell-all: "If I Were Racist, This Is Really What I Would Have Said."