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That didn’t take too long. Less than a month after being replaced in the starting lineup by Brian Griese, Jeff Garcia was back on the field Sunday. The 38-year-old took over as the starter after Griese went down with an elbow injury in the third quarter following a hit from a blitzing Champ Bailey. Some are suggesting that, regardless of whether Griese’s injury is severe or not, Garcia should be re-installed at the top of Tampa Bay’s depth chart heading into a Week Six matchup with the Panthers. Bucs head coach Jon Gruden was noncommittal after his team’s 16-13 loss to the Broncos.
“Right now we’re concerned about Griese’s arm and we’re encouraged by Jeff’s progress,’’ he told reporters.
Garcia led the Bucs to a postseason berth in 13 starts last season, but was yanked in favor of Griese after a Week One loss to the Saints. The Bucs won 3-of-4 games with Griese at the helm, but he had been far from impressive, throwing six interceptions in the two contests previous to Sunday’s loss.
The PFW spin
Thank you, Brian Griese, is what Gruden should be saying on Monday as he adjusts the nameplates on his depth chart, flipping Garcia back to the top spot.
Griese did his job. He took over for four games and gave Tampa Bay a spark, but now it’s time to move back to Garcia and Sunday’s game demonstrated the necessity of such a decision. Against a woeful Broncos defense, which ranked 30th heading into Week Five, Griese struggled to keep the chains moving and the Bucs had scored a measly six points before Garcia entered and led them to their only touchdown.
Again, this was against the Broncos, who allowed 33 points to the Chiefs last week. Denver’s defense made Kansas City, which was shut out by the Panthers on Sunday, look like one of the dominant offenses in the game, but Griese couldn’t find the endzone against it.
Those kinds of performances just won’t do in the long run for Tampa Bay. Garcia, while far from spectacular, can do the little things, like taking better care of the ball and scrambling to avoid a sack, that Griese has shown he’s incapable of.
The Bucs’ offense won't ever blow anyone away. It just doesn’t have enough weapons in the receiving corps to do so. But what Garcia has done so well throughout his career is get by with what he has. It’s probably what interested Gruden in the first place, when he called Garcia as free agency began in 2007.
Now is the time for Gruden to remember why he signed Garcia. It might take mistake-free football for Tampa Bay to beat Carolina in a tough NFC South battle. There’s no guarantee Garcia will provide it, but it’s just about guaranteed that Griese cannot.
Our fantasy take
Neither Garcia or Griese are sound options for fantasy owners. Things appear to be shifting in Garcia’s favor, but until Gruden makes it official, it’s all speculation. Garcia is an efficient quarterback, but that doesn’t translate into fantasy points. He only threw 13 TD passes in 13 starts last season, and whoever starts will face a tough defense vs. Carolina in Week Six.
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