Sep 7, 2007, 16:38 GMT
- The well-traveled Jeff Garcia will take yet another wayward journey on Sunday, when the new starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his team complete a cross-country trek to meet the Seattle Seahawks in the regular season opener for both clubs.
Garcia, who started his pro career with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL, is playing for his fifth team in five seasons after stints in San Francisco (1999-2003), Cleveland (2004), Detroit (2005), and Philadelphia (2006). The 37-year-old quarterback resurrected his flagging career with the Eagles last year, relieving an injured Donovan McNabb and going 5-1 in six starts to lead the team to an NFC East title and playoff berth.
The Buccaneers signed the veteran quarterback after shaky quarterback play helped lead the team to a dismal 4-12 mark in 2006. After starting quarterback Chris Simms opened the year 0-3 before being lost to a ruptured spleen, rookie Bruce Gradkowski went just 3-8 in the games he opened before yielding to veteran Tim Rattay (1-1). Simms and Gradkowski remain on the roster, but along with Luke McCown will be listed as backups to the three-time Pro Bowl selection Garcia.
Seattle, meanwhile, will be looking to continue the strong play that has led Mike Holmgren's team to three straight NFC West titles and four consecutive playoff appearances. After reaching their first Super Bowl in 2005, the Seahawks slipped to 9-7 and advanced only to the Divisional Playoff Round a year ago. That winning record was seen as an accomplishment by many, however, in light of the myriad injuries the team experienced.
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (four games, knee), running back Shaun Alexander (six games, foot), and No. 1 wideout Darrell Jackson (three games, turf toe) were among the prominent Hawks who missed significant time in '06.
Hasselbeck and Alexander are back and healthy, while Jackson was traded to the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers in the offseason.
SERIES HISTORY
The Seahawks have won six of the seven all-time meetings with Tampa Bay, including a 23-7 road triumph when the teams last did battle, in Week 17 of the 2006 season. The Buccaneers scored their only victory in the series in 1999, a 16-3 win at The Kingdome.
Holmgren is 14-4 against Tampa Bay all-time, going 12-3 (including postseason) while with Green Bay from 1992 through 1998. A 21-7 victory in a 1997 NFC Divisional Playoff is part of the makeup of that record. The Buccaneers' Jon Gruden is 5-5 against Seattle, including 5-3 while head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1998 to 2001. Holmgren leads the personal series with Gruden, 5-3.
WHEN THE BUCCANEERS HAVE THE BALL
Garcia (1309 passing yards, 10 TD, 2 INT) played extremely well for the Eagles down the stretch last season, posting a 95.2 passer rating for the year, but will be working with a Tampa Bay offense that has far less seasoning than the one he operated in Philadelphia. Three players with one year or less of NFL experience - right tackle Jeremy Trueblood, right guard Davin Joseph, and rookie left guard Aaron Sears - will be helping to protect Garcia, while second-year man Maurice Stovall (7 receptions) will be starting at one of the receiver slots. Other newcomers to the starting lineup include fullback B.J. Askew (9 receptions with the Jets), left tackle Luke Petitgout (ex-Giants), and tight end Jerramy Stevens (22 receptions, 4 TD with the Seahawks), who played in 71 games with Seattle from 2002 through 2006. Garcia's top target will likely be 13-year vet Joey Galloway (62 receptions, 7 TD), who posted three 1,000-yard receiving seasons with the Seahawks from 1995-1999. Back to handle rushing chores for Tampa is Cadillac Williams (798 rushing yards, 1 TD), who struggled to produce in an injury-plagued 2006 that followed a strong rookie year.
After struggling to cause turnovers last season, the Seahawks used the offseason to address shortcomings in both the secondary and within the pass rush. Free agent safeties Brian Russell (52 tackles, 1 INT with Cleveland) and Deon Grant (85 tackles, 2 INT with Jacksonville) will make their formal Seattle debuts on Sunday, while second-round draft choice Josh Wilson (Maryland) will play a supportive role at the cornerback position. At end, former Falcons Pro Bowler Patrick Kerney (19 tackles, 4.5 sacks with Atlanta) has been brought in to start opposite newly-promoted second-year player Darryl Tapp (33 tackles, 3 sacks). The linebacking corps, which featured Lofa Tatupu (122 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) in the middle and Julian Peterson (89 tackles, 10 sacks, 1 INT) on the strong side, remains solid. But cornerbacks Marcus Trufant (66 tackles, 1 INT) and Kelly Jennings (40 tackles, 1 INT) are still seen as something of a liability, and will probably be tested downfield by Garcia.
WHEN THE SEAHAWKS HAVE THE BALL
Though Alexander (896 rushing yards, 7 TD) appears fully healthy one year after missing the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in six seasons, some injury concerns remain for the Seattle offense. Hasselbeck (2442 passing yards, 18 TD, 15 INT) missed time during the preseason following shoulder surgery, and franchise left tackle Walter Jones missed all of the club's final three preseason games due to shoulder problems of his own. Both are expected to be in the lineup on Sunday. Hasselbeck's receiving corps has been altered slightly, with Jackson and Stevens out and D.J. Hackett (45 receptions, 4 TD) and free agent tight end pickup Marcus Pollard (12 receptions with Detroit) expected to take on more prominent roles. Deion Branch (53 receptions, 4 TD) will serve as the Seahawks' No. 1 receiver. Alexander will continue to run behind one of the best run-blocking units in the business, with Pro Bowl left guard Steve Hutchinson considered among the elite players in the game at his position.
A lack of playmaking ability on defense led Tampa Bay to post the worst turnover margin (-12) in the league last season, a situation the club sought to address in the offseason. Within the pass rush, the team subtracted veteran Simeon Rice and added No. 4 overall draft pick Gaines Adams (Clemson) along with former Bronco Patrick Chukwurah (20 tackles, 4.5 sacks with Denver) and ex-Titans star Kevin Carter (45 tackles, 5.5 sacks with Miami). The linebacking corps, still led by the ageless Derrick Brooks (121 tackles, 3 INT), will feature former Colts Pro Bowler Cato June (162 tackles, 3 INT with Indianapolis) on the weak side and could eventually include recently-acquired former Eagle Jeremiah Trotter (112 tackles, 1 INT with Philadelphia) in the middle. The secondary had the least offseason turnover in any area of Monte Kiffin's defense, and cornerback Brian Kelly (12 tackles) is back in earnest after missing 14 games with a foot injury last year. Kelly and Ronde Barber (98 tackles, 3 INT) will continue to man the corners, with Jermaine Phillips (104 tackles, 2 INT) and Will Allen (77 tackles) at the safeties.
FANTASY FOCUS
Most of this game's must-start players are on the Seattle side of the field, where Alexander and Branch should be reliable fantasy players this year and Hasselbeck and kicker Josh Brown are solid as well. Things are less certain in Tampa camp, where Cadillac Williams, Galloway, and even Garcia could end up posting good numbers but are far from a sure thing. If there is a defense to start in this game, it is Seattle's, since Tampa Bay's offense could take some time in getting untracked.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
The Buccaneers and their fans are hoping that the Jeff Garcia they see in 2007 is the same one they watched in Philadelphia last season, as opposed to the one who fell flat in previous stints with the Browns and Lions. But Garcia's supporting cast in Tampa bears more of a similarity to those he had in Cleveland and Detroit than the veteran-laden group he was part of with the Eagles, meaning it could be an uphill climb for the signal-caller both in this game and for the rest of '07. Seattle has some problems as the season begins, but has enough veteran talent and polished schemes to win this one handily on its home field.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Seahawks 23, Buccaneers 9
© 2007 The Sports Network
Your Talkback on this Story