MVN - Most Valuable Network

An Injured Garcia is the Key to Saints Victory

Sunday’s interdivision showdown between the Saints and Bucs is certainly the biggest game of the season to date for the Saints and perhaps the Bucs, as well.

If injuries are any indication, the Saints seem to have the upper hand as they prepare to cut the Buc’s two-game division lead in half. 

Defensive tackle Brian Young is not listed on the injury report this week and is expected to return to the lineup after being out the past month with a sprained knee. 

As for Tampa Bay, nothing but uncertainty surrounds the quarterback position.  Starter Jeff Garcia took a vicious hit on the first play of the game against the Redskins last week, injuring his back.

Bucs coach Jon Gruden is mum on the issue of whether Garcia will play Sunday, but did acknowledge that backup quarterback Luke McCown has taken the majority of snaps in practice this week, and that Garcia has taken none.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.  There is a possibility that Gruden is just creating a smoke screen of misinformation to throw the Saints’ game planning off.  Gruden loves to be crafty when it comes to choosing what information to reveal. 

But if he’s being truthful and Garcia is actually doubtful for the game Sunday, the Saints can take a collective sigh of relief. 

I’m not saying the game’s in the bag if Garcia doesn’t play, not by any means.  The Saints chances of winning, though, drastically improve with McCown/Gradkowski throwing passes.

Realistically, how confident were you that the Saints were going to give up at least three long touchdown passes to Garcia?  Extremely confident?  Unequivocally confident?  I’d say I was as confident in that as I am that Ricky Williams is on his couch right now stoned out of his mind after blowing his first game check on an ounce of weed. 

Can he use the medicinal purpose defense now that he’s got a torn pectoral?  I bet he’ll try to swing it. 

Now, instead of Garcia, the Bucs will have to play a young quarterback, either Gradkowski or McCown, in the supremely disruptive Super Dome environment.  I think the Saints smell blood.

Which brings us back to the Young’s return.  The Saints defensive line is a much stronger unit with Young in the lineup.  He’s an energizer bunny type player which means if he can get some penetration into the backfield, he’s going to be dogging McCown/Gradkowski all day long.

Charles Grant has recovered from his ankle injury and had a great game against Carolina last week.  Will Smith has picked up his intensity and will undoubtedly be ready to roll on the Bucs.  Bottom line: the Bucs’ o-line is going to have its hands full Sunday if Garcia doesn’t play. 

McCown/Gradkowski don’t have the escapability (is that a word?) of Garcia, nor the football smarts.  They also don’t have a playmate for a wife, which is another story. 

What this all means, though, is that the Bucs are not in a favorable situation to win this game.   Their defense is playing inspired football right now which means the Saints will need to come out sharp on offense.  I think they do that.  Look for Brees to have another big day and look for the Saints to move to 6-6 with a 27-20 win over the Garcia-less Bucs.       

    

      

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 29th, 2007 at 12:26 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.