Garcia fires back

Jeff Garcia says he is healthy enough to practice and play this week and disagrees with Jon Gruden's decision to bench him.

Garcia, 38, wore no special support for a sprained ankle he suffered in Sunday's 24-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

But he acknowledged that he could've played better in the season opener and vowed to correct his mistakes while getting his body healthy.

Veteran Brian Griese will start Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

""Right now, having only played one game, I would've liked the opportunity to battle through whatever I'm going through,'' Garcia said. ""But coach made that decision early in the week and I have to live with it.

"I understand in the game on Sunday, there were a couple plays I left out on the field. And I'm hard enough on myself to know that they could've been difference-makers in the game. I know I can turn that around, I can learn from whatever I didn't do. And I think there's been some things that unfortunately have piled up injury-wise that I don't like to bring to anybody's attention because I always feel I can fight through it, that I can always get through those things and not have them be a factor. Well, coach feels like there's some things that are factors, that are taken away from what I bring to the table. So right now, it's his decision.''

Garcia has struggled through some injuries. He said he injured his back early in the off-season. He suffered a right calf injury Aug. 31 that forced him to miss most of training camp and has a jammed pinkie finger on his throwing hand. Now the ankle.

"I've played through a lot worse before and that's not anything new,'' Garcia said.

"It's just one thing after another and I know everybody will say, hey, well he's old and he's running out of gas and this is what happens to old guys...all I can do is focus on getting better and being supportive.''

Emotionally, Garcia says he's tried to move on from the disappointments of the off-season, including the Bucs' failure to make up for a missed play-time incentive bonus and the team's attempts to trade for Brett Favre.      

""I can't continue to focus or dwell on things that aren't positive for this team and those things aren't positive because if I dwell on that, that takes away who I need to be for this team,'' Garcia said.

""I feel like I'm emotionally stable. I'm not a basket case. I'm not somebody who's going to take away what this team's focus is. I don't know if coach believes that because things that have stockpiled it has seemed and that maybe I have allowed to stockpile have taken away from the edge that I normally have on the field. If that's what he believes, if that's what he feels, I need to do my best to get that back and prove to him that it's there.''

   

      

Comments

[Wade]

PLAY HIM GRUDEN!!!

[aaron]

we will keep spinning wheels as long as we keep this up. we are going nowhere with him. he just uses band-aids after band-aids at qb. we better draft a real qb in the 1st or 2nd round this year. His philosophy on this old qb thing doesnt work. lets get a good young qb. nothing against josh johnson but i dont think he is the answer.

[tradewinds loser boy moser]

i told you garcia and bruce allen lovers that allen dropped the ball on the favre trade a number 7 draft pick, you gotta be kidding me. well the jets are happy.

[Tom]

Aaron, which QB do you think is available that Gruden should go after since you blame him for this?

I think every team is looking for that QB, with an exception of a few teams.

We need to make you GM since you have the answer to our search for a franchise QB.

[Tom]

Gruden haters like Aaron make me puke. Just last year every single fan was thrilled to have Garcia. Everyone was saying, "Give him the bonus, he deserves it." Now, you're all jumping ship one game into the year and want him thrown out. Pathetic!

[Al]

There's always next year...

[Scott]

I just woke up from a coma and read these articles and all of the negativity from the Fans on the blogs, but, I don't know our record yet? What month is it...are we 1-6 in October? Or is it worse? Have we been blown out in four consecutive games? Surely, the season must be lost at this point according to everyone's negativity and panic. Please update me.

[jay]

you people need look at the migget he sucks!FIRE JON GRUDEN

[Steve L]

Who’s “he” aaron? Oh yeah, Gruden, the cause of all things wrong in Bucville! You’d think people hankered for the halcyon days of Wyche, Perkins and Leeman Bennet the way they talk. Aside from St. Dungy who had similar success here minus the Super Bowl (oh yeah, I forgot, that was Dungy’s team…just like it was Jim Mora’s team that won the Colt’s SB), who would you rather have? We’re in the playoffs on a regular basis and have enviable depth now at most positions. Curse the coach! Hang the GM! Perhaps root for the Rams or Raiders (unsuccessful since who left?) for some levity regarding the Bucs.

[Heidi]

the comment from ritchie is disgusting and should not have been posted.

[Steve L]

Thank you, Tom.

[Valrico Rick]

I just had to type something about those people like loser boy, or hoser boy, or whatever, and the Favre talk. The Jets beat a really bad team that went 1-15 last year and one of Favre's TD passes was nothing more than a lucky hail mary on 4th down. The Jets happiness is about to come to a sudden end. If you want to lament passing on a good available free agent quarterback you need to go back a couple of years where we didn't make a play for Drew Brees. That my friends is an NFL quarterback, and he would have been a difference maker!

[Steve L]

And thank you Valrico Rick for injecting some semblance of IQ into this cesspool.

[jay is a douche]

Jay...it's spelled midget. If you are trying to lob an insult, at least spell correctly.

[Times = Rag]

Funny how this quote gets left out by the Times:
“Our relationship is not fractured,” said Garcia about him and Gruden. “We’ve had some good talks and some good meetings, and as much as that is difficult to take as far as not being the starter this weekend, we are going to work through this together and I’m going to do whatever I have to do to better myself.”

[Billy]

How is this Garcia firing back?

I guess I don't see much firing with those comments.

Yet anohter hate article?

Well done

[warren]

He is being a baby. He is injured every game. Either perform or sit on the bench, it's the nfl.

[Steve L]

And the context was killing me. I was wondering who was sucking the “migget” and indeed, what a “migget” was. I presumed it was jay’s pet name for a pacifier and that he was the sucker.

Let’s stay on topic kids (aaron, jay).

[Montana Tom]

Well, Gruden has a responsibility to win football games. On one hand I will give him the benefit of the doubt that now is not the time for Garcia for reasons those outside the organization can't understand.

On the other hand Garcia looked fine to the casual observer on Sunday. It was the first game of the season and the guy had practiced sparingly. What were the realistic expectations?

I like Griese. But it was torture watching him play. Like Simms and Gradkowski. No explosiveness. When they get down you feel it is over and can't be recovered with Griese at the helm. I'd have more faith in McCown if the guy didn't throw so many interceptions.

Even when we were down in tough games I felt we were in it last year with Garcia. I felt we still had a chance against the Saints last Sunday, although I wasn't exactly in a betting mood watching the last quarter.

I have a feeling we are returning to a QB who does whatever Gruden wants and will play with very little creativity or "pop".

Gruden has to be cognizant about the damage he is causing, right? Prospective skill players have to mull over this type of history when considering the possibility of playing for Gruden.

I wonder why Brett Favre would pick the Jets over the Bucs? You think Mangini reminded Brett about the capriciousness of Gruden with his quarterbacks? Even ones that help him get to the playoffs.

[kris]

Why is this not surprising?

Granted Garcia didn't look great on Sunday, and a rational person could make the argument that was due to "rust" and the lack of practice.

Well considder this... How much better is Garcia going to get by watching Griese take the majority of the reps, and start on sunday? He isn't. The rust is going to stay, the writting is on the wall.

The Bucs found a reason to move on without him, and that is what they will continue to do, as they have done in the past with various other players.

I am willing to bet that Griese will be the starter for the rest of the year, sans injuries.

"If you want to lament passing on a good available free agent quarterback you need to go back a couple of years where we didn't make a play for Drew Brees. That my friends is an NFL quarterback, and he would have been a difference maker!"

Um... wasn't he traded to New Orleans?

And it was because of the belief in then starter Chrissy Simms that the Bucs didn't make a run at Drew Brees.

Blame Simms' flash-in-the-pan in 2005, not Gruden/Allen.

[Lee]

Jeff Garcia looks brilliant for not signing here when he signed with Cleveland and Detroit. Gruden would have burned him out three years ago.

[Art]

Any one got Duante Culpepper's phone number so we can pass it to Gruden?

[mm]

When are people going to realize that Garcia is a "me" guy and not a "team" guy. All this whining is always about HIM! Tell me the last time you heard Garcia complain about something other than himself. Yes, he played well last year and probably deserved that bonus he missed out on but I am glad he's gone after this year.

[mm]

And quit blaming Gruden & Allen for every f'ing thing that goes wrong with this franchise! You all are worse than the crying players!

[John]

Hey Garcia,
Quit whinning and start acting like a starting QB. Win Lose or draw, I have a lot of respect for you , and what you have done here but, the past is the past, get over it and start doing what they are paying you for. The same goes for all of the other under achieving players that gave you one face in pre-season and another in regular. If you can't make the grade, go slap burgers for a living. And you SO-CALLED-FANS need to get over the Favre debacle. The Jets have him and we don't, so get over IT and start rooting for OUR number ONE team, THE BUCCANEERS.

[Ron]

Drew Brees was not traded to the Saints. He signed as a free agent, after the Miami moron, Nick Saban, chose to sign Culpepper, rather then Brees.

Brees was coming off of a serious shoulder injury at the time (versus Culpepper's serious knee injury).

[Bill F]

This is the beginning of the end for Garcia. If they were gonna flirt publicly with Favre, they should have consummated their interest in #4 by doing what needed to be done to trade for him. Now you have a wounded, unhappy QB. With this mishandling of the starting QB position, as well as benching Bennett and Clayton, Gruden's lack of understanding of human beings is apparent, and we will possibly start seeing the football-related effects of his thoughtless, mechanical maneuvering.

Could this be the beginning of the end of Gruden as well?

[Tom]

Great observation, Ron. Brees is a very versatile QB. He can play in any system. He has great mobility in the pocket, like Brady.

There aren't too many of those guys around.

[Jon]

There only chance at a Winning Season was with Brett Favre. But the Bucs decided to stay with Garcia. What a MISTAKE..... Another season wasted...

[reid]

rick,

pft is claiming a league source has indicated that the bucs are trying to shop garcia right now. pft info is usually pretty solid.

you hearing anything? thoughts?

[Chuck]

Anyone who still thinks it's a good thing we didn't get Brett Favre is completely retarded. I can't stand the effing morons in this area. Go back to your raccoon farm Valrico Rick.

[Steve]

U know what Gracia got us to the playoffs and pro bowl...i think gruden is just to quick on the trigger...Garcia was not sharp but who is in the first game?

[Jon]

hmmm.... Jets are 1-0, the Bucs are 0-1. Now who is the retard???

[DR]

Again, this isn't a bad position but when is Gruden and Allen going to man up? Gruden was scared to tell Rice he was released amnd refused to talk to Keyshawn. Now this. This wouldn't be bad at all if Gruden just manned up and said I'm going with Griese this week because he played well in the preseason and I was dissappointed in Garcia's play last week. Just tell it like it is and quit skirting around with he;'s injured. The same thing with Simms last year.

[Tom]

Chuck, you need to get over it dude. The Packers were unwilling to trade Favre within the conference. What part of that is not comprehensible?

[Chuck]

Tom-

WRONG. YOU ARE A LIAR.

We are just too cheap becaus this area is the armpit of the country.

[Average Joe]

Bottom line - Favre didn't want to come here; why talk about him?

[Chuck]

Well Average Joe maybe you're okay with have a dogs$#! football team for yet another year but I'm not.

Why do we refuse to build an offense? Why do we refuse to get a decent QB?

Why is it we have the same game plan week after week after week and we are consistently in the bottom 3rd of offenses in the NFL.

VOMIT

[DR]

Packers did talk to the Bucs, but the Bucs would have to give up too much to get him. Anyways, Favre will lose to Cassel this week. Let's not give Favre praise for beating the terrible dolphins.

[Edward E.]

I question Gruden's judgment on many fronts.The most glaring example that does not get much dicussion,second down,ball on the 26 ,one timeout,14 seconds on the clock,and you run the ball ,no shot for the td.31 other coaches take a shot,but not our boy.Tampa Bay experience Dungy,s offense avereged more points per game than Gruden's.Some offensive genius.

[Chuck]

What's too much?? A 2nd round pick? Who knows what practice team scrub we are going to get with that pick next year but don't you think it would have been worth it to have a winning season this year.

If you are happy with the current condition of this team you're a moron and deserve to eat crap.

[Davyj]

Gruden the quarterback killer will take the BUCS back to mediocrity.......Then he will sneak out of town like Hooter's short order cook he really is......

[Steve L]

Favre is old, and I do mean old news. Yeah, he tore up those elite Dolphins with that prayer of a Hail Mary and the other blown coverage, didn’t he? The Jets may end up 2nd or 3rd in the ever so soft AFC East. Let’s begin this discussion again on week 12 or 13.

[steve]

Chuck you are truly an idiot

[Steve L]

And Chuck, who at this point is happy with the current condition of their team? The Patriot’s? The Colts? The Chargers? Losers all the first week. The Cardinals won though, perhaps they’re happy.

[Tom]

Every media source has stated that Green Bay was doing all it can to avoid trading Favre within the division and conference.

But, Chuck, has the inside information that the Packers were more than happy to trade Favre to Tampa even though we play them this year.

Chuck, YOU'RE A MORON!

[Tom]

BTW, if you think that Tampa-St. Pete is the armpit of the world "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ON THIS SITE BLOGGING ABOUT THE BUCS?"

FREAKIN IDIOT

[Al Gore]

I told Bruce to cut his azz the day after he made his contract an issue. This has been Garcia's MO since he left the 49ers. Get hin the eff out of here Bruce. He is not lipstick on a palen, he is shat on a shingle.

[nonbucsfan]

Agreed Steve - chuck is a chucklehead.

The bucs are a team of destiny - destined to lose. Garcia is a good quarterback , good not great. He is tired of being disrepspected. How did anyone expect him to act after the bucs tried to get Favre ? He thought he had something here but Gruden isn't a player freindly coach. Gruden has very little intrest in treating players like humans, isn't that obvious. Ask Sapp, ask Lynch ....too many others to list