Lynch saw Chargers' early struggles coming

By: MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | Sunday, December 23, 2007 10:42 PM PST ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- John Lynch heard the spin on the radio or read the quotes in the newspaper during his frequent offseason visits to the North County, and it stunned him every time.

Marty Schottenheimer had been ousted as the Chargers' head coach, replaced by Norv Turner. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips had been hired as the Dallas Cowboys' coach, replaced by Ted Cottrell. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron also had left, having been hired as Miami's head coach.

Despite the upheaval, the Chargers' hierarchy claimed that continuity had been maintained, largely because Turner had installed the team's offense during an earlier stint as offensive coordinator and Cottrell was well-versed in the same 3-4 defensive alignment used by Phillips.

So between offseason workouts or trips to run errands, Lynch heard the chatter and just shook his head in disbelief. The Denver Broncos' safety and Torrey Pines High graduate knew better, and he wasn't the least bit surprised when the Chargers struggled to a 1-3 record over the first month of this season.

"They talked about, 'Well, there's not going to be much transition because they're going to run the same offensive scheme and essentially run the same defensive scheme,' " Lynch said. "You can say that, but when you bring in new coaches, it's a new deal and you've got to adjust and assimilate to the way that they teach and the way the whole thing comes together.

"To say it would be a seamless transition, I didn't believe that. I've been through it too much. It takes some time."

Lynch, a 15-year veteran, and the Broncos (6-8) face the Chargers (9-5) tonight at Qualcomm Stadium, and they'll see a team that has hit its stride under the new leadership. The Chargers have won four straight games and will be the AFC's third-seeded team in the playoffs if they win their final two regular-season games.

The Chargers began to turn their season around the first time they faced Denver. The team that bumbled through September and had lost three consecutive games routed the Broncos 41-3 at Invesco Field. That victory began a streak of eight wins in 10 games.

The differences in the Chargers jumped out at Lynch as he watched film of the Chargers last week.

"I credit them," Lynch said. "They started off slow but they continued to believe in themselves and now they're starting to play really good football.

"You can see the confidence as a team. I think they're all believing and buying into what is being preached there by Norv and all those coaches. You can see they're an extremely talented team, so you're seeing them blow out a lot of teams. Not just beat them, but blow them out."

The turnaround has been so stunning that the Chargers are threatening to once again be mentioned as a Super Bowl contender. They dropped off that radar in September, and most experts are predicting another New England-Indianapolis meeting in next month's AFC title game.

But Lynch sees the Chargers as a team that could derail that highly anticipated matchup.

"I believe so," Lynch said. "They've steadily improved as this year goes on. I know from experience it's not what you do early in the regular season ---- obviously, that's all important ---- but you want to be peaking at the right time of the year, and I think this is a team that's on that upward ascension right now. They have to be feeling good about themselves."

The Chargers certainly feel much better about themselves than Mike Shanahan's Broncos, who have nothing to play for but pride on Christmas Eve. Denver is out of the playoff picture for the second consecutive season.

Yet many Chargers expect the Broncos to put up a strong fight, particularly because of the embarrassing margin of defeat they experienced against the Chargers during the first weekend of October.

"It's 'Monday Night Football' and we can expect them to come out and try to prove they're the best team," safety Clinton Hart said. "They're going to come out with everything. Shanahan is not going to lay down. He's not a coach that's going to lay down. He wants to win and he wants to win on Monday night. Who doesn't?

"So we expect their best, and they're going to get our best."

The division race might be wrapped up tighter than Christmas Day gifts waiting beneath the tree, but there's no doubting the significance of the game to the Chargers as they try to secure the No. 3 seed.

"We clinched a playoff spot, but it is better to be the third seed than the fourth seed," running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. "Obviously, we want to be the third seed and we're in control of our own destiny with that, so we have to take care of our business."

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.

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