TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Garcia Worth Bringing Back

ADVERTISEMENT

By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 30, 2008

TAMPA - You look at his age and can't help but shake your head - mostly in wonder. Jeff Garcia, the bios all say, is 38. But there's nothing 38 about Garcia's play on the field.

"I just keep drinking from that fountain of youth that I found," Garcia joked after one recent age-defying display of passing proficiency.

Brett Favre and Kurt Warner must be drinking from the same fountain. Favre, 39, is the only quarterback in the league with a better completion percentage than Garcia. Warner, 37, is one of four with a better passer rating.

And to think, Bucs coach Jon Gruden actually benched this guy. After one game. If you squint you can almost understand why.

Through most of the preseason - most of which he missed with a variety of nagging injuries - Garcia looked and played like the 38-year-old that he is. When little changed in the season opener, Gruden made his move.

What has happened to Garcia since mirrors the transformation of a frog into a prince.

Since his return to the lineup nine weeks ago against Denver, Garcia has completed 70 percent of his passes and compiled a near triple-digit passer rating while throwing for an average of 223 yards per game.

Oh, and the Bucs are 5-1 in the games he has started during that span. You're kidding yourself if you don't think Garcia is a big reason for that.

Just as he was the Bucs' most valuable player last year, he is proving to be their most valuable player again this year. Yet, he still doesn't have a contract that binds him to the Bucs beyond this season.

Talk about things that make you shake your head. A lot of us wondered why the Bucs didn't re-sign Garcia last spring. Some of us still think there's time to correct that mistake.

No one denies there's risk involved, especially when you consider Garcia's age, which you absolutely have to do. But like Favre and Warner, Garcia is proving to be one of football's true timeless wonders.

He still has plenty of zip on his throws and plenty of zip in his legs. He doesn't make mistakes with the ball, and he wins - a lot. Bottom line: He's the kind of player teams look to hang on to, not get rid of.

What will the Bucs do with him? Even at this late stage, it's too early to tell. One look at their options, though, gives you the feeling they must be leaning toward hanging on to him.

Brian Griese doesn't appear to be the answer. He is younger than Garcia, but he is nowhere near as reliable. Luke McCown could be the guy, but McCown has done little to suggest he is an upgrade.

On the outside, there is a chance Donovan McNabb will be available. McNabb is six years younger than Garcia. The only problem is, he sometimes looks and plays like he is six years older than Garcia.

Warner is another possibility. If the Cardinals don't get on the stick he could be available in free agency. Warner, though, is too streaky and too immobile for Gruden's tastes.

No, the more you look at it, the more you get the feeling Garcia is the best quarterback for the Bucs going forward, in part because he remains a perfect fit for Gruden's offense and for this team.

He's gritty and deftly accurate with his throws; he's smart with the ball and just mobile enough to make something out of nothing when plays break down around him. He's also well-respected, especially in the locker room.

Not only that, but the Bucs have a plan for the future, and it appears to include making rookie Josh Johnson their starting quarterback. Can you seriously think of a better bridge to Johnson than Garcia?

Garcia is not really the mentor type, but he is clearly a quarterback Johnson can learn from. He displays smarts on the field, knows how to prepare for opponents and how to exploit them on game day.

He gets more out of a small skill set than most quarterbacks get out of a large one, will not be outworked in the offseason and is a leader in the regular season.

In short, he's everything a team would want in a starting quarterback. We just don't know if he's everything the Bucs want.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT