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Garcia Not Ready To Walk Away Just Yet

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By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 27, 2008

TAMPA - Jeff Garcia looks in the mirror these days and remains undeterred. Though he has a nasty gash across the bridge of his nose and a pair of black eyes that make him look like a raccoon, he says he isn't ready to quit football just yet.

"I am getting to that point in my career where I have to wonder how much longer can I do this," the 38-year-old Garcia said, "especially when you come out of a game looking like I did last Sunday.

"It makes me think, it makes my wife think. But there is too much love for the game within myself. I know there may only be a couple years left. But I want to walk away on my terms."

That part about walking away is obviously important to Garcia. But despite suffering through ankle, calf and back problems the past two years, Garcia says the mental grind is the thing that will probably drive him out.

"I want to be able to walk and do the things I love to do outside of football when these days do come to an end, but it's not so much the physical side that gets you, it's the mental grind of the game that sometimes wears you down most.

"But as far as the overall game is concerned, I would love to be able to walk away on my own terms and just say that I'm not at a point anymore where I can contribute as much as I'd like to and so it's time for me to step away."

Garcia obviously hasn't reached that point yet. He is ranked seventh in the league with a 91.7 passer rating, has completed 66.2 percent of his passes and thrown only five interceptions, fewest in the league.

"I do feel that, being a starter, I can still compete at a high level and contribute," Garcia said.

FINISHING TOUCH

Slow starts have been a problem for the Bucs all season. In the past three weeks, slow finishes have added to their woes.

The Bucs have been outscored 45-9 in the fourth quarter and overtime in losses to Carolina, Atlanta and San Diego and, like a lot of their other problems, the Bucs can't seem to explain it.

"If I had that answer you wouldn't be asking me the question," LB Derrick Brooks said.

Sustaining drives is part of the problem. Of the 11 offensive drives they had in the fourth quarter the past three weeks, only three lasted more than six plays.

Big plays are another problem. The Bucs define big plays as passes of more than 20 yards and runs of more than 10, and they gave up one of each for a touchdown in the fourth quarter the past three weeks.

They also have had an interception returned for a touchdown against them during that time frame, so it's not just the defense that has struggled down the stretch in games.

"Turnovers have hurt us, obviously," said QB Jeff Garcia, who had not thrown an interception at home until last week's game against San Diego. "It made it very hard for us to come back in that game. I mean, we had a great opportunity there in the fourth quarter. We needed to bring a stop to their offense and we needed to put a drive together as an offense, and we couldn't do either. We need to fix that."

A LOOK AHEAD

There's one thing a victory over the Raiders on Sunday won't change, and that's the Bucs schedule for 2009.

Even if the Bucs win and Atlanta loses Sunday, the Bucs will finish third in the NFC South. That means their two intraconference-by-position games will be at home against Green Bay and on the road against Seattle.

The rest of the Bucs' 2009 schedule has been set for years, and it's a doozy. In addition to facing Atlanta, Carolina and New Orleans at Raymond James Stadium, the Bucs will also face the Cowboys, Giants and Jets at home.

The Bucs' non-division road games will be against the Eagles, Redskins, Bills and Dolphins, with a "home" game against the Patriots scheduled to be played in London.

Should they beat the Raiders on Sunday, the Bucs are planning to gather at CB Ronde Barber's house to watch the Cowboys-Eagles game that will decide their playoff fate.

"I've invited everybody," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "Ronde's got a nicer house than I do."

The Cowboys-Eagles game was originally scheduled for 1 p.m. but was changed to 4:15 last week. If the Bucs win, the Eagles will know before they kick off that they can't make the playoffs.

That has some thinking the Eagles will rest some of their regulars in an effort to avoid injuries and look at young players on the rise, but Gruden believes the Eagles will play to win no matter what.

"I think everybody in the league does that," he said. "I really do. When they put the helmets on on Sunday, it's really anybody's game. And this is one of those old-school rivalries, It will bring out the best in every player."

MAN OF THE YEAR

QB Jeff Garcia on Friday was named the Bucs' nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

Since joining the Bucs last year, Garcia and his wife Carmella have established the Garcia Pass It On Foundation, which earlier this year hosted a benefit to aid the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, a charity bowling event to raise funds for the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and a cocktail reception to aid the Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay.

The 2008 Walter Payton Man of the Year winner will be selected by a blue-ribbon panel and will be recognized at a news conference during Super Bowl week in Tampa. The national winner also will receive a $25,000 donation to the charitable organization of his choice.

INJURY UPDATE

LB Derrick Brooks (ribs, hamstring) returned to practice Friday and is questionable for Sunday's game.

Others on the injury report: QB Jeff Garcia (calf) and NT Chris Hovan (knee) are probable; DT Jovan Haye (knee), DE Gaines Adams (ankle), DE Greg White (shoulder) and RB Clifton Smith (shoulder) are questionable.

Roy Cummings

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