Garcia leads Buccaneers past Seattle Sunday night
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jeff Garcia was a Pro Bowl quarterback last season. He played like one again Sunday night.
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.
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.
Wallace, meanwhile, never got rolling. He finished 12-of-23 for 73 yards, with a 2-yard touchdown pass to John Carlson with 1:55 left, and had two turnovers in the second quarter. Maurice Morris ran for 56 yards for Seattle (1-5) in its third straight loss.
Bryant finished with 115 yards receiving, and Earnest Graham added a 1-yard touchdown run for the Buccaneers, a fitting up-the-gut score on a night where Tampa Bay honored retired fullback Mike Alstott with a halftime ceremony.
“We’re similar, we’re very similar,” Alstott said of Graham, who switched to fullback last week. “He can do a lot. He’s versatile. He’s a team player. When he gets an opportunity he makes the best of it and, if he doesn’t get the opportunity, he doesn’t complain about it. That’s what wins championships.”
So does defense, and Tampa Bay was strong there once again.
The Bucs entered the game having given up an NFL-low three touchdowns in 11 opponent trips inside the 20, and held Seattle to a TD and field goal in three trips into the red zone. Tampa Bay held a 402-176 edge in total yards, and forced the Seahawks into settling for only a 26-yard field goal by Olindo Mare in the third quarter on a drive where Seattle drove to the 8.