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You have to love this guys' self confidence!
Blake vows he'll outdo Plummer
Veteran says Cards will be better with him at quarterback
By News Wire Reports
September 4, 2003
TEMPE, Ariz. - Jeff Blake says the Arizona Cardinals will be a better team with him at quarterback than it was with Jake Plummer.
In an interview with the Arizona Daily Star, Blake spared few words in expressing feelings about his 11-season NFL career, Plummer's play at Arizona and what he expects to bring to the Cardinals.
"If I had been playing as bad as Jake Plummer had been playing around here the last five years, I would have been out of the league," Blake said.
"If I would have thrown more interceptions than touchdowns every year, and he did it every year but one, I would have been out of the league a long time ago, because I ain't supposed to be here."
Plummer totaled 18 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in 2001; in his rookie year of 1997, he totaled 15 and 15. His 90 career TD passes were offset by his 114 interceptions.
Blake, 32, signed a three-year contract with Arizona after Plummer left to join the Denver Broncos. In his 11 years in the NFL, Blake's total of touchdown passes exceeds his interceptions by 36 (119 to 83), and he admittedly is defensive about his career.
"A lot of people are hungry, chips on their shoulders. A lot of people have things to prove," Blake said.
"Coaches. Organizations. Owners. Everybody is tired of people running their flaps. I am one of them. I'm a sixth-round draft pick. I'm too short, too black and too everything else. I ain't supposed to be here. That's why I have a chip on my shoulder. The only way to shut them up is to go out there and win games."
Plummer, who recorded 30 victories during his six seasons with the Cardinals, got the team to the playoffs in 1998.
Blake's best seasons were with the Cincinnati Bengals. He passed for 3,822 yards and 28 touchdowns in 1995 and 3,624 yards and 24 touchdowns in 1996, the only two seasons he started all 16 games.
He also has played for the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens.
"It's leadership in a different way," Cardinals guard Leonard Davis said of Blake. "A different mentality."
"I've played on some losing teams, but I've also played on some teams that were very successful," Blake said. "This kind of reminds me of the same situation I came in at New Orleans in 2000, where we went to the playoffs and beat the Rams. Coming in and just believing in what we are trying to do and going out and doing it. Don't let anybody outside our organization tell us anything that is different."
Blake does not seem to mind that the Cardinals' top three wide receivers, including starters David Boston and Frank Sanders, also are gone.
"I always find somebody. Every team I've been on, I've made a somebody a star," Blake said.
The list includes Carl Pickens in Cincinnati in 1994, Joe Horn in New Orleans 2000 and Todd Heap at Baltimore last year.
"If a guy is ready to step up and be that man and ready to go to the Pro Bowl, I'll get it to them," Blake said. "It takes a little time to feel that out. But I'll get it to them. Whoever wants it, they'll get it."
Blake tries to keep everyone involved, which he said helps hold down turnovers.
"Even though I throw a lot of deep balls, I throw a lot of balls to the backs and the tight ends," said Blake, noting Heap, a tight end, made 68 receptions last year.
"It's a good mixture between receivers, tight ends and running backs. That drops your interception ratio down a lot, because you aren't forcing the ball down the field a lot. I'm taking what they give me."
Blake vows he'll outdo Plummer
Veteran says Cards will be better with him at quarterback
By News Wire Reports
September 4, 2003
TEMPE, Ariz. - Jeff Blake says the Arizona Cardinals will be a better team with him at quarterback than it was with Jake Plummer.
In an interview with the Arizona Daily Star, Blake spared few words in expressing feelings about his 11-season NFL career, Plummer's play at Arizona and what he expects to bring to the Cardinals.
"If I had been playing as bad as Jake Plummer had been playing around here the last five years, I would have been out of the league," Blake said.
"If I would have thrown more interceptions than touchdowns every year, and he did it every year but one, I would have been out of the league a long time ago, because I ain't supposed to be here."
Plummer totaled 18 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in 2001; in his rookie year of 1997, he totaled 15 and 15. His 90 career TD passes were offset by his 114 interceptions.
Blake, 32, signed a three-year contract with Arizona after Plummer left to join the Denver Broncos. In his 11 years in the NFL, Blake's total of touchdown passes exceeds his interceptions by 36 (119 to 83), and he admittedly is defensive about his career.
"A lot of people are hungry, chips on their shoulders. A lot of people have things to prove," Blake said.
"Coaches. Organizations. Owners. Everybody is tired of people running their flaps. I am one of them. I'm a sixth-round draft pick. I'm too short, too black and too everything else. I ain't supposed to be here. That's why I have a chip on my shoulder. The only way to shut them up is to go out there and win games."
Plummer, who recorded 30 victories during his six seasons with the Cardinals, got the team to the playoffs in 1998.
Blake's best seasons were with the Cincinnati Bengals. He passed for 3,822 yards and 28 touchdowns in 1995 and 3,624 yards and 24 touchdowns in 1996, the only two seasons he started all 16 games.
He also has played for the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens.
"It's leadership in a different way," Cardinals guard Leonard Davis said of Blake. "A different mentality."
"I've played on some losing teams, but I've also played on some teams that were very successful," Blake said. "This kind of reminds me of the same situation I came in at New Orleans in 2000, where we went to the playoffs and beat the Rams. Coming in and just believing in what we are trying to do and going out and doing it. Don't let anybody outside our organization tell us anything that is different."
Blake does not seem to mind that the Cardinals' top three wide receivers, including starters David Boston and Frank Sanders, also are gone.
"I always find somebody. Every team I've been on, I've made a somebody a star," Blake said.
The list includes Carl Pickens in Cincinnati in 1994, Joe Horn in New Orleans 2000 and Todd Heap at Baltimore last year.
"If a guy is ready to step up and be that man and ready to go to the Pro Bowl, I'll get it to them," Blake said. "It takes a little time to feel that out. But I'll get it to them. Whoever wants it, they'll get it."
Blake tries to keep everyone involved, which he said helps hold down turnovers.
"Even though I throw a lot of deep balls, I throw a lot of balls to the backs and the tight ends," said Blake, noting Heap, a tight end, made 68 receptions last year.
"It's a good mixture between receivers, tight ends and running backs. That drops your interception ratio down a lot, because you aren't forcing the ball down the field a lot. I'm taking what they give me."
