Moving On

DENVER - John Lynch hates moving.

So you can understand why every time Lynch unpacked a box in his new home in Denver two years ago, he had some unkind words for Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Bruce Allen.

"Every time I cracked open another box, I was like, 'That son of a ... ,' " Lynch said. "Once I got past the move, I was OK."

A little bitter? Sure, mostly because of the manner in which Allen cut Lynch in 2004 after 11 seasons with the Bucs, a time that included five Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl championship.

These days, he no longer curses Allen. That bitterness has subsided.

Playing on a legitimate Super Bowl-contending team has helped. So has irony.

If Lynch was still with Tampa Bay, he wouldn't be in the position he is today.

For one, he wouldn't be playing in his third championship game. While his former Bucs teammates are home watching today's championship games on television, Lynch is an active participant as the Broncos' starting free safety and is a game away from his second Super Bowl.

"Sure it was a tough situation leaving Tampa, but things happen for a reason," Lynch said. "This has kind of re-energized my career, and I have an opportunity now to get to the Super Bowl in the AFC, having done it in the NFC."

Secondly, if Lynch were still an integral part of the vaunted Tampa Bay defense, he wouldn't be doing the things the Broncos have allowed him to do. That job belongs to Bucs Pro Bowl cornerback Ronde Barber.

A funny thing happened to Lynch after the Bucs decided he wasn't starting material. He turned into a hybrid safety/nickel cornerback. Lynch tied for the Broncos' lead this season with four sacks. That's nearly the amount he collected in 11 seasons with the Bucs (six).

"John, he knows everything, he studies the game very hard and he'll knock you out," Denver cornerback Champ Bailey said.

On The Blitz

Early in his career, Lynch earned the reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the league. He still packs a wallop, but in the Broncos' scheme, Lynch has developed into one of the league's most feared blitzers.

"In Tampa I blitzed a lot, but it was always on run downs," he said. "And when we were in nickel, it was always Ronde, and you can't blame [Bucs defensive coordinator] Monte [Kiffin] because Ronde did a tremendous job. But in Denver, they've really made me a part of the blitzing in the passing situations.

"It's really stepped up a lot this year, and I'm having a lot of fun doing it."

In the Broncos' 27-13 victory against the two-time defending world champion Patriots, Lynch never sacked New England quarterback Tom Brady, but he pressured him on several occasions and forced him to get rid of the ball before he wanted. Lynch sealed the victory with an interception, the 28th of his career.

"In this defense right now, they're asking me to do a little bit of everything," he said. "Not only am I blitzing, in my 13th year, it's kind of ironic they're asking me to cover receivers more than I've ever done in my career. Sometimes I get to play with two deep safeties, like I did in Tampa, but sometimes I'm playing center field, sometimes I'm playing linebacker, sometimes I get down in a three-point stance like a defensive lineman.

"They're asking a lot of me, but I enjoy that."

Lynch also enjoys this Denver team. The Broncos are a talented bunch, full of Pro Bowlers, but it's more than the product produced on the field.

"There's something special about this team, and I recognized it early," Lynch said. "It's really a selfless team. No one really cares who gets the credit, and it's a real tight team."

Still Having Fun

Because he has gone through the championship experience with Tampa Bay, one might wonder how Lynch's new team compares to his old one?

"It's very similar," he said. "We were a very tight team there, but this one is a little tighter. Just because, I think, even in the best times in Tampa, there were a lot of different agendas going on. We had Keyshawn [Johnson], and everybody was worried about who was going to go first at the press conference. Things like that.

"And we don't have a coach-general manager battle going on. So it's really good and fun to be around. My time in Tampa was great with some great teams, but this one really is special."

Lynch keeps in touch with his former teammates. He communicates regularly with Derrick Brooks, Barber and Mike Alstott. He even stopped by One Buc Place recently to visit with his former coaches.

That's about as much of a blast from the past as Lynch allows. His present and future are with the Denver Broncos.

"There's times when I'm talking to Derrick, Ronde and Mike, and it feels like just yesterday I was there," Lynch said. "But there are other times, it feels like light years ago that I was playing with that team. I'll never forget how special the memories were in Tampa. That's such a big part of my life, my family's life, so you never forget that.

"But I'm a big believer that things happen for a reason and they all work out. I can tell you I'm having as much fun as I've ever had."

---