Denver quarterback Jay Cutler, who has one of the best and strongest arms in the NFL, will be a force to contend with when the Patriots face the Broncos on Monday night.

AP / Jack Dempsey

FOXBORO — Denver quarterback Jay Cutler has a big arm. He isn’t afraid to tell you he recently said he has a bigger arm than Broncos legend John Elway, and isn’t afraid to point out that he has eight passes of 30 yards or better this season.

So if Cutler has a big arm and the Patriots gave up several big plays against the Chargers last week, could the Broncos be looking to go downfield often on Monday night?

“Most definitely,” Pats corner Deltha O’Neal said. “Until we get it stopped that’s what you have to expect so [we have to] work hard at that, of course.”

For his part, Cutler said yesterday he expects the New England secondary will gear up for Denver.

“They’re a good team and they’re going to adjust and have a good plan against us,” Cutler said. “They play everyone different and they probably respect what we’ve done through the air and they’re probably going to try to take it away.”

Leading one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses, Cutler has three 300-yard passing games in six contests this season; against San Diego in Week 2, he was 36-for-50 for 350 yards, four touchdowns and an interception.

The 11th overall pick out of Vanderbilt in 2006, Cutler has been the answer for the Broncos at quarterback after the team spent several seasons searching for Elway’s replacement.

He has become a leader in Denver, having publicly called out wideout Brandon Marshall after his offseason troubles, and has earned the admiration of opponents.

“He has a tremendous arm; probably the best arm in the league as far as downfield,” Rodney Harrison said. “They’re going to take their shots, especially [after] watching film of last week against San Diego. So definitely they’re going to take their shots. Brandon Marshall, he’s big, he’s physical and they’re going to try to get the ball to him.”

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Marshall, drafted the same year as Cutler, was suspended for the first game of the season and still has a league-leading 43 catches. He can both be a possession receiver — against the Chargers he had 18 receptions for 166 yards — and a playmaker. A week after his performance against San Diego, he averaged nearly 26 yards per catch against the Saints.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick expressed concern over Cutler’s abilities and the Broncos’ offense.

“He looks very good, very athletic, has a strong arm, can make all the throws,” Belichick said. “He can throw the ball as far as you want to throw it, as far as it can be thrown. He can get it down there but he has a good touch. He uses all of his receivers and tight ends.”

With the review of their loss to San Diego completed, Bill Belichick and his defensive players have said that the overall defensive result against the Chargers was solid. It was the five downfield completions that Philip Rivers had that they point to as the only real problem. New England was also flagged for a long pass-interference call.

“Just giving up the big plays,” is the main concern for the defense, Harrison said. “When we don’t give up the big plays and make pass interference down the field, we play pretty good. Our front did a great job of containing LaDainian Tomlinson, the best in the league. We stopped the run [against the Chargers]; it’s just eliminating those big plays, 30, 40 yards or more.”

Ellis Hobbs said Monday’s game is as important for New England as last Sunday’s game was for San Diego.

“I feel like, my back’s against the wall, our team’s back is against the wall and we have to come out swinging no matter what,” Hobbs said.

smanza@projo.com