By Mike Kahn
CBS SportsLine Executive Editor
Sept. 10, 1998

A simple conclusion from watching the NFL for decades is that the most evolved athletes in sports have to be quarterbacks. How else can you describe someone who has the weight of an entire franchise -- not to mention the region in which he plays -- on his shoulders and still stands upright?

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Jake Plummer struggled along with the rest of the Cardinals in the opening loss to Dallas. (Allsport)

that down to a second-year quarterback with expectations as a local folk hero who nearly won a national championship in college in the same market, and you've got Jake Plummer. Jake the Snake, as he is known to those in the southwestern desert of the United States, is expected to lead the Arizona Cardinals to prominence the same way he surprisingly led Arizona State to an upset of Nebraska and a shot at the 1996 national championship.

"There are always players who have special leadership qualities that can't be measured," Cardinals coach Vince Tobin said. "Jake showed that starting four years at ASU. We saw those same qualities last year as a rookie and we only expect him to keep on improving."

SO CERTAIN WERE THE CARDINALS OF Plummer, they dealt the No. 2 pick of the 1997 NFL Draft to San Diego for the rights to draft defensive end Andre Wadsworth and other picks as opposed to taking a bigger, stronger quarterback prospect in Ryan Leaf. Why would they do that? A lot of people fell in love with Plummer at ASU, comparing him to Joe Montana.

There was one major difference: These are the Arizona Cardinals, not the San Francisco 49ers. The Cardinals began Plummer's career with a 7-9 season and this season started with a crushing 38-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. Now preparing for the second game against the Seattle Seahawks, he was hardly thrilled with his performance Sunday. While speaking to the Seattle media Wednesday, his tone was one of impatience, with tinges of confidence still coming through.

"It was a real frustrating game," Plummer said. "But we all know it will get better."

There were plenty of reasons why there are some questions about Plummer, beginning with 14-for-33 for 166 yards. The good news is he didn't throw an interception. The bad news is he didn't throw a touchdown pass. The conclusive statistic was third-down conversions: 0-for-10.

"We didn't convert on third down and if you don't do that, you're not going to win in this league," Plummer said. "The offense can take a big hit for this one."

Added Tobin, relieving Plummer of some of the heat, "Any time you don't convert, it's a concern. Part of it was the Dallas defense, part of it was our dropped passes early. You've got to pick up 40 to 50 percent of the time on third down to be successful."

IT WASN'T EVEN CLOSE. FROM THE FIRST possession in Sunday's game, the Cardinals were clearly overmatched. Whereas they are on the verge of building a great defense, Plummer and the offense remain suspect.

Although Plummer set records for a Cardinal rookie for passing despite starting only the last nine games, this was a team that averaged an NFL-low 78 yards rushing and suffered an NFL-high 78 sacks. Despite the acquisition of explosive but erratic multi-purpose back Eric Metcalf, wide receiver Rob Moore and tackle Lomas Brown are the only Pro Bowl quality players. Predictably, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Plummer remains optimistic on the heels of 2,203 yards passing and 15 touchdown passes last season.

It's a lot easier to think that way at 23 than 33.

"I've heard that I've supposedly had a bad start, or looked rusty," Plummer said. "But we've put in a new offense and it takes time. I think I've done a pretty good job of moving the ball around. The difference is, this offense is not just about me. It's also the timing with everyone around me. I can look off, and it might not be my fault, but I know I have a lot of work left to do."

If it sounds like he's shirking some responsibility, that, too, might be youth. For a quarterback to be a champion in the NFL, he must take on all responsibility. There are those who believe that's why Dan Marino has never won a Super Bowl -- because he hasn't won the adoration of his teammates. There was talk that was the problem with Jim Kelly and the Bills, internal rifts that ultimately broke them down in four consecutive Super Bowls.

MAYBE THOSE POINTS ARE TRUE. MAYBE they have been exaggerated as excuses for defeat. The key to success for all quarterbacks is to earn the respect of your teammates and be willing to take the fall for a loss even if it isn't your fault. That was the key to Montana's success and explains why every one of the Denver Broncos adores John Elway.

For Plummer to lead the Cardinals into playoff contention, he has to accept that responsibility unequivocally, especially considering he doesn't have superstar skills. At least after one week -- and what a bad week it was -- Plummer refuses to point any fingers. With 15 games to go, we'll see how long that lasts. There are plenty of NFL experts who believe Plummer and the Cardinals are nothing more than medicore and have received far too much publicity.

"We'll have a couple of ups and downs, and have a bad series and bounce back," Plummer said. "That's what you need to build confidence and gain trust in each other."

If not, that will deem Jake a snake with no rattler. And a snake with no rattler is nothing more than a snake in the grass ... even if it is in the desert.