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Jaguars Hang On To Trip Bucs, 23-17

Tribune photo by JOSEPH BROWN III

Michael Clayton (80) is tackled after a first-down catch in the second quarter against the Jaguars on Saturday.

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By AARON KNOX

TBO.com Staff

Published: August 23, 2008

Updated: 08/23/2008 09:14 pm

TAMPA - Quarterback Jeff Garcia finally saw his first action of the preseason Saturday night in the Bucs' 23-17 loss to Jacksonville at Raymond James Stadium, but the results weren't pretty.

Garcia threw two interceptions, one in the end zone to kill a scoring drive, and the Bucs made three turnovers while he was at the helm for most of the first half. Tampa Bay turned the ball over in three of its first four possessions, although Garcia did lead a scoring drive that he capped with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Michael Clayton in the second quarter.

Garcia, who left the game after his touchdown pass, finished his first preseason game of the season 11-of-18 passing for just 79 yards.

"It was a tough start; there is a lot of rust I have to shake off," Garcia said. "(T)hankfully we put a drive together and finished it off well"

He admitted the interceptions by Jacksonville's Reggie Nelson were his fault.

"I think I made two very poor decisions tonight, which is very unlike me and I think it shows that I haven't practiced a lot and haven't played at all," Garcia said. "Those are things I needed to get out of my system tonight and hopefully I can move on from here."

Garcia was intercepted by Nelson on a first-down play after Jacksonville kicked a field goal following an Earnest Graham fumble. Nelson returned the pick to the Bucs 12-yard line, but a personal foul on Jacksonville moved the ball back to the 27.

"Obviously he has been inactive for so long," Bucs head coach Jon Gruden said. "He made a couple of mistakes early, but I thought he did settle down and made a couple of nice plays at the end."

Garcia threw another interception, again to Nelson, to wipe out a potential scoring opportunity early in the second quarter.

After moving the Bucs from their own 35 to the Jaguars 11 in eight plays, Garcia made a bad decision when he tried to hit Clayton in the end zone. Nelson stepped in front of the pass and pulled it in for a touchback with 10:53 remaining in the first half.

"This is the first time I have had two picks in the NFL," Nelson said. "It feels good."

Jags quarterback Garrard returned the favor this time, throwing an interception to Ronde Barber near midfield four plays later. Barber returned the ball five yards to the Jags 43-yard line.

"You have to take advantage of your opportunities," Barber said. "It was more of a gift than anything, but you will take them any time they come."

Luke McCown nearly rallied the Bucs to an unlikely win, but his comeback bid fell just short.

Chad Lucas caught a three-yard touchdown pass from McCown that brought the Bucs (2-1 in the preseason) within six points with less than four minutes to play. After the Bucs burned up their time outs and got the ball back with 2:17 remaining, McCown nearly did it again.

He moved the Bucs from their own 35 to the Jacksonville 11 with 29 ticks of the clock to spare, but grounded the ball on third down to stop the clock. McCown's fourth-down pass to Lucas gained just two yards and the Jaguars (2-1) took over with five seconds to go.

Earlier McCown moved the Bucs 75 yards in a nine-play drive that took for 3:15 off the clock. The biggest play came from McCown's feet, rather than his arm, as he scrambled 29 yards down the right sidelines to the Jacksonville 21-yard line.

Josh Scobee kicked two fourth-quarter field goals to give the Jaguars some breathing room. Scobee's second field goal, with 12:41 remaining in the game, came after the Jaguars put together a deliberate, 15-play drive that covered 50 yards in 7 minutes, 49 seconds. His third, from 25 yards out, came with 6:58 to play and made it 23-10.

Marcedes Lewis caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Garrard to give Jacksonville a 17-7 lead in the third quarter.

The Jaguars drove 69 yards in seven plays to open the second half, reaching the end zone in just three minutes. A roughing the passer penalty by Bucs cornerback Eugene Wilson tacked 15 yards onto a 21-yard reception by Dennis Northcutt on the second play of the drive, giving the Jaguars a first down at the Tampa Bay 33-yard line.

Clayton's touchdown catch with 4:32 left in the first half pulled the Bucs within 10-7 at haftime despite all the turnovers. It capped a nine-play, 43-yard drive by the Bucs after the teams exchanged interceptions earlier in the second period. The Jags scored all their first-half points after two Bucs turnovers.

The Bucs had a chance to tie the game at halftime, but Matt Bryant missed a 23-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

Northcutt caught a eight-yard touchdown pass from Garrard with 6:41 remaining in the opening quarter. That capped a short, 27-yard drive after the Buccaneers' second turnover.

Josh Scobee kicked a 23-yard field after a Tampa Bay turnover on the game's third play, giving the Jaguars a 3-0 lead.

Defensive end Reggie Hayward forced a fumble by running back Earnest Graham and Jacksonville's Paul Spicer recovered at the Bucs 23-yard line. Scobee hit the short kick six plays later.

"It's always good to get turnovers in any game," Spicer said. "We wanted to come out and play better than we did the last couple of weeks."

Josh Scobee kicked a 45-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, giving Jacksonville a 20-10 lead. He added another from 25 yards out with 6:58 to play that made it 23-10.

Matt Bryant kicked a 27-yard field goal after a Bucs drive stalled inside the 10-yard line, bringing Tampa Bay within 17-10 in the third quarter.

Brian Griese drove the Bucs 42 yards in seven plays after the Bucs defense made a fourth-down stop near midfield, but three plays after a first-and goal from the 7 lost two yards and the Bucs had to settle for the Bryant field goal with 5:30 left in the third quarter.

Griese finished his night 7-of-11 passing for 71 yards. Michael Bennett a limited rushing attack with 24 yards on just five carries. Warrick Dunn started, but ran for only 12 yards on his five attempts.

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