By BOB BELLONE
Sep 19, 2007
DENVER - The doors to the Denver locker room swung open and a wave of reporters streamed into a sea of happy Broncos after Sunday's stirring 23-20 overtime victory against the hated Oakland Raiders.
Simeon Rice wasn't in the mood to hang around and celebrate with his new teammates, slipping past the media and into the hallway.
Before he disappeared through a stadium exit, the former Buccaneers defensive end was approached about his home debut in front of a roaring crowd at Invesco Field at Mile High.
"It wasn't too exciting," he said. "I didn't play that much, you know what I mean?"
The usually affable Rice immediately answered his own question.
"Nah, I came here to play. I'm healed up. I'm good," he said. "I'm going to start getting a little bit more in tune with things so I can dominate this game like I do. But it was cool, we won."
Rice, 33, has been working his way back from surgery to repair an injured left shoulder that sidelined him for the second half of last season. He finished with a career-low two sacks after averaging 13.5 in his first five years with the Bucs.
Rice was released by Tampa Bay after failing a club physical and refusing to restructure his contract July 26, the day he reported to training camp. He met with the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams before signing a one-year contract with the Broncos on Sept. 3.
The 12th-year veteran joins a collection of fresh faces along the defensive front wall. In April, Denver spent three of its four draft picks to acquire linemen Jarvis Moss and Marcus Thomas of Florida and Tim Crowder of Texas.
Eager to lead the way, Rice is steamed about restrictions on his playing time that limited him to a solo tackle in a dramatic season-opening triumph at Buffalo and one assisted stop against Oakland.
Broncos safety John Lynch has heard his former Bucs teammate plead with coaches for a greater role.
"Knowing Simeon's competitiveness, he's not liking it," Lynch said, "but I think they're trying to be smart, too. When we get him going full speed, this football team is going to be better for it."
The crowning achievement for Rice during his stint with Tampa Bay was a pair of first-half sacks in a 48-21 dismantling of the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII. He ranks second behind Michael Strahan among active pass rushers with 121 career sacks.
Lynch, whose eight Pro Bowl selections include all three seasons since the Bucs released him, was asked if he thinks the Bucs erred again by prematurely cutting loose another defensive standout in Rice.
"No comment," he said, grinning. "I think that goes without saying."
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