Plummer, Droughns Keep Broncos in Hunt

Jake Plummer broke out of his slump and kept the Denver Broncos in the playoff race.

Plummer threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns, and Reuben Droughns scored three touchdowns as the Broncos beat the Tennessee Titans, 37-16, Saturday night to stay in at least a tie for the AFC’s final wild-card slot going into the last week of the regular season.

Denver (9-6) had lost three of its last four games, with two of those losses to teams with losing records, including last week’s 45-17 rout at Kansas City. Plummer hurt Denver more than he helped, with nine interceptions and only two touchdowns in that stretch.

Against a defense missing six starters, Plummer was intercepted once, giving him an NFL-high 20 interceptions. But he otherwise was superb.

The Broncos gave Coach Mike Shanahan his 100th career regular-season victory with the franchise at the expense of his friend, Titan Coach Jeff Fisher.

Denver handed the Titans (4-11) their fifth consecutive loss by shutting down Billy Volek, who was trying to become the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 400 yards in three consecutive games.

Reggie Hayward had three of the Broncos’ six sacks, and the defense also forced two turnovers and limited Tennessee to a season-low 153 yards offense. The Titans dropped to 1-6 at home before a stadium that was nearly empty in the final minutes.

The Broncos knocked Volek out of the game in the fourth quarter with a bruised left knee, forcing the Titans to use Doug Johnson for the first time this season, with Steve McNair out because of his bruised chest.

Plummer completed his first eight passes and was 10 for 11 for 144 yards early in the second quarter in helping Denver score on its first three possessions for a 17-3 lead. He had a 23-yard touchdown pass to Droughns on the first drive for a lead the Broncos never lost. Plummer finished 21 for 26.