updated 8:25 p.m. ET Nov. 27, 2006

DENVER - Jay Cutler’s been the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback all of one practice and he’s already a rattled rookie.

Cutler was playing it cool in his first interview at the podium when fellow rookies Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler began heckling him from the side. Cutler tried to keep from laughing and couldn’t.

“I’m excited,” Cutler said. “And a little nervous.”

The Cutler Era has officially started. Coach Mike Shanahan ended the speculation Monday by elevating the rookie to starting quarterback for the rest of the year, sending Jake Plummer to the bench.

“He’s our future, he’s our present,” Shanahan said.

Cutler, the 11th pick out of Vanderbilt in the draft last April, hasn’t taken a snap since the preseason. But Shanahan is hoping a quarterback change can ignite the Broncos’ struggling offense. The team is 7-4, but ranks 26th in the league with 171 yards passing per game.

“There’s a lot of pressure on a first-year quarterback, no question about it,” Shanahan said. “I think this kid can handle it. I think he gives us the best chance to win.”

His teammates figure it’s worth the chance.

“With the losing streak we’re on, it doesn’t hurt to try,” receiver Javon Walker said. “If he does (well), we’ll ride it all the way out. If not, obviously he’s our quarterback of the future.”

A quarterback switch worked in Dallas when Tony Romo took over for Drew Bledsoe. The Cowboys have gone 4-1 with Romo as the starter. San Diego is leading the AFC West behind first-year starter Philip Rivers.

When asked if the situations were comparable, Shanahan was blunt.

“No,” he said.

Cutler, though, feels like he’s in a better situation than Tennessee’s Vince Young and Arizona’s Matt Leinart, both of whom were drafted ahead of him and are starting for teams with losing records.

“Matt and Vince have to go out there and really win games,” said Cutler, who’s the first rookie quarterback to start for Denver since Tommy Maddox on Dec. 12, 1992, at Buffalo. Maddox started for an injured John Elway. “We’ve got a good team. We’ve got leaders on this team. I need to go out there and do my part.”

NFL What’s on tap for Week 15’s matchups?

Cutler had an impressive preseason for Denver, throwing for 561 yards, third best in the NFL. Romo led the league with 833 yards passing in exhibition play. Cutler’s passer rating of 108.3 led the league in the preseason.

“Preseason is preseason. I don’t put a lot of stock in it,” Cutler said. “This is a different animal. We’re playing for real now.”

Cutler is the latest in line of Broncos quarterbacks attempting to become the ‘next John Elway.’ He knows the comparisons will be inevitable.

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