Jeff Garcia is Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback again, with good
reason.
Garcia completed 26 of 37 passes for 310 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown
pass to Antonio Bryant on Tampa Bay’s opening drive, and the Buccaneers beat the
struggling Seattle Seahawks 20-10 on Sunday night.
Making his second straight start in place of Brian Griese, Garcia helped the NFC
South-leading Bucs (5-2) improve to 4-0 at home.
Garcia clearly outplayed fellow backup-turned-starter Seneca Wallace, the
Seahawks’ third quarterback in three weeks. Garcia was 14-of-17 by halftime,
helping the Bucs take a 17-0 lead, and the outcome wasn’t ever in doubt. He was
sacked once and completed passes to 10 different receivers.
Bucs coach Jon Gruden said Garcia will continue to start. The 38-year-old Garcia
made his fourth Pro Bowl last season, his first with the Bucs, but lost the
starting job earlier this season...
Jeff Garcia passed to Antonio Bryant to the left for 47
yard gain (Matt Bryant made PAT)
0 - 7
2nd Quarter
6:32
TB
TD
Earnest Graham rushed up the middle for 1 yard gain
(Matt Bryant made PAT)
0 - 14
3:12
TB
FG
Matt Bryant kicked a 27-yard field goal
0 - 17
3rd Quarter
10:21
SEA
FG
Olindo Mare kicked a 26-yard field goal
3 - 17
4th Quarter
4:34
TB
FG
Matt Bryant kicked a 27-yard field goal
3 - 20
1:55
SEA
TD
Seneca Wallace passed to John Carlson to the right for 2
yard gain (Olindo Mare made PAT)
10 - 20
Team Statistics
SEA
TB
First Downs
7
22
Passing
4
16
Rushing
3
6
Penalty
0
0
Third Down Efficiency
2-10
10-18
Fourth Down Efficiency
1-1
0-0
TOTAL NET YARDS
176
402
Total Plays
39
75
Average Gain Per Play
4.5
5.4
NET YARDS RUSHING
103
97
Rushes
16
38
Average Per Rush
6.4
2.6
NET YARDS PASSING
73
305
Completions-Attempts
12-23
27-36
Yards Per Pass Play
3.2
8.2
Times Sacked
0
1
Yards Lost to Sacks
0
5
Had Intercepted
1
0
PUNTS
5
4
Average Punt
47.4
38.5
PENALTIES
1
4
Penalty Yards
6
26
FUMBLES
1
4
Fumbles Lost
1
1
TIME OF POSSESSION
18:19
41:41
Pregame Previews, Storylines,
and News
New Page 1
Preview:
There's been uncertainty at the quarterback position since early
in the season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but with two experienced
signal-callers on the roster, there wasn't any dropoff last week even with Brian
Griese injured. With Matt Hasselbeck out, the struggling Seattle Seahawks have
gotten even worse. Both teams will again be without their starting quarterbacks
on Sunday night, when the Buccaneers and backup Jeff Garcia look to remain
unbeaten at home and hand the Seahawks their first-ever loss at Tampa Bay...
Pick: Lets see, the Hawks have won 7 of 8 against the
Bucs. It means nothing when Seneca Wallace is the Seahawks quarterback against
that Bucs defense. Buccaneers 27 - Seahawks 10
Notable:
Two franchises that entered the NFL together in 1976 meet for
the ninth time. Seattle has won seven of the eight previous meetings, but has
been struggling mightily in 2008. Both teams face some uncertainty at
quarterback because of injuries
21.5
19.9