Buccaneers.com is reporting that Jeff Garcia participated in a limited fashion today in practice.

“He did some things today, which is very encouraging,” said Gruden, the Bucs’ head coach and the man who was so eager to bring Garcia to Tampa in the first place. “He’s getting better. I don’t really know but I’m very optimistic after today. He showed up and practiced. He’s not 100 percent right now but he’s closing in on getting well enough to play.”

The Sports Animal, 620 WDAE, is reporting that Luke McCown is taking the snaps with the first team offense in practice today, and for the foreseable future until Jeff Garcia’s back is healed.

Please kill me now!!

This has nothing to do with the Bucs, or the NFL for that matter, but funny is funny…..

The St Pete Times is reporting that coach Jon Gruden is unsure who will be the starting QB for our pivotal game against the New Orleans Saints.

(Hat Tip: Bucs Report)

picture courtesy of buccaneers.com
Matt Bryant yesterday was named the Buccaneers NFL Man of the Year. He is now a finalist for the NFL’s Walter Payton Award.

Injuries

Skins

Sean Taylor – O

James Thrash – O

Randy Thomas – O

Mike Sellers – D

Bucs

G Spires – O

M Pittman – D

BJ Askew – Q

M Clayton – P

courtesy of NFL.com

Key Matchup

1. Chris Cooley vs. Cato June

Cooley, in my opinion is one of the games premier tight ends. He has had his share of off days this year receiving the ball, but that is due mostly to the injuries to the offensive line for the ‘Skins, and the his ability to make up for those losses with his superior blocking ability. Last week though, with a healthy O-Line, Cooley accounted for [...]

“I don’t think anybody expected us to be leading our division 10 weeks into it,” repeated the Bucs’ head coach. “I’m sure there are enough people out there that don’t expect us to hang on to it….We won 11 games two years ago, it’s not like we’ve been flushed down the toilet forever,” said Gruden. “We had a bad year last year for a lot of reasons. We’ve got a lot of guys on our football team who know how to win, expect to win and come in hear every day preparing to win. [It’s] the same with the coaches, [...]

I felt strange on Sunday as we were spanking the hell out of the Atlanta Falcons. I was not overly excited, I was more in a state of tranquility as we came out and waxed a team that in all honesty, we should have waxed, home or road. It was a pivotal game in the fact that it put us in the drivers seat of the NFC South. With 3 divisional games remaining, two at home (Carolina and Atlanta) and one on the road (New Orleans) we are pretty much in control of our own fate. [...]