GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NFL: ATLANTA (3-10) at TAMPA BAY (8-5)

NFL: ATLANTA (3-10) at TAMPA BAY (8-5)

<h3>With Garcia back, Bucs again look to win NFC South</h3>





<div class="pre">Atlanta (3-10) at Tampa Bay (8-5) 1:00 pm EST</div>

TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- The South is the only divisionstill up for grabs in the NFC.


The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hope to join Dallas, Green Bay andSeattle as NFC division winners when they host the AtlantaFalcons on Sunday.


This is the Buccaneers' second chance to wrap up the divisiontitle as they suffered a 28-14 loss to the Houston Texans lastweek.


With three weeks remaining in the season, Tampa Bay owns atwo-game lead over New Orleans and has a tiebreaker edgeagainst the Saints.


If the Buccaneers clinch the division, they will became thefifth straight team to from worst to first in the NFC South.Tampa Bay finished 4-12 a year ago.


Quarterback Jeff Garcia will return this week after missing twogames with a lower back bruise against the Washington Redskinson November 25.


Luke McCown made his second straight against the Texans despitereports during the week that Garcia was ready to return.Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden admitted that he was less thanhonest regarding Garcia's status.


"I may have been vague," Gruden said. "I just don't think theopponent needs to know exactly who to prepare for. I don't feellike we have to divulge everything or let (everyone) knowexactly where it is in terms of the timetable for Jeff."

But Gruden left no doubt Monday, naming Garcia as the starteragainst the Falcons.


In a 31-7 victory over Atlanta in Week 11, Garcia passed for twotouchdowns with no interceptions. However, he was knocked outearly the next week against the Redskins.


For the season, Garcia has passed for 2,135 yards with 11touchdowns and three interceptions.


"We are eager to get him back and have him healthy and ready to<div class="pre">go play the way he has proven he likes to play aggressive,</div>creative and competitive," Gruden added.


The Falcons, meanwhile, are waiting for the season to end.

On the day quarterback Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 monthsin jail on dogfighting charges, Atlanta suffered a 34-14 lossto the Saints.


The Falcons used their third quarterback of the season as ChrisRedman made his first start in five years.


Redman threw for two touchdowns and a career-high 298 yards butcould not prevent the Falcons from suffering their fourthstraight loss.

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 0
TAMPA BAY 0 14:54 LEFT, 1ST QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 18 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL TD TAM
RONDE BARBER 29 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN
(MATT BRYANT KICK)

ATLANTA 0
TAMPA BAY 7 14:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 0
TAMPA BAY 7 13:53 LEFT, 1ST QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 23 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 0
TAMPA BAY 7 12:20 LEFT, 1ST QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 42 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 0
TAMPA BAY 7 9:56 LEFT, 1ST QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 26 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL FG ATL
MORTEN ANDERSEN 33 YD

ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 7 6:36 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL TD TAM
MICHEAL SPURLOCK 90 YD KICKOFF RETURN
(MATT BRYANT KICK)

ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 14 6:19 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 14 6:09 LEFT, 1ST QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 27 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 14 4:48 LEFT, 1ST QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 28 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ATLANTA 3 3
TAMPA BAY 14 14 END, 1ST QTR

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: TAM - TD, RONDE BARBER 29 YD INTERCEPTION
RETURN (MATT BRYANT KICK), 1:00.
TAMPA BAY 7-0
ATL - FG, MORTEN ANDERSEN 33 YD, 8:24. Drive:
7 plays, 59 yards in 3:24. Key
plays: Norwood 29-yard run to Tampa
Bay 36; Redman 18-yard pass to
Robinson to Tampa Bay 18. TAMPA BAY
7-3
TAM - TD, MICHEAL SPURLOCK 90 YD KICKOFF
RETURN (MATT BRYANT KICK), 8:41.
TAMPA BAY 14-3</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL FG TAM
MATT BRYANT 33 YD

ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 17 11:24 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 17 11:16 LEFT, 2ND QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 17 9:17 LEFT, 2ND QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 28 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 17 6:05 LEFT, 2ND QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 12 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 17 5:15 LEFT, 2ND QTR

TAM BALL ON ATL 6 YD LINE
1ST AND GOAL</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL TD TAM
EARNEST GRAHAM 1 YD RUN
(MATT BRYANT KICK)

ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 24 4:09 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 24 4:05 LEFT, 2ND QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 44 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL TWO MINUTE WARNING, 1ST HALF

ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 24

TAM BALL ON ATL 35 YD LINE
3RD AND 5</div>

 

NFL: ATLANTA at TAMPA BAY

<div class="pre">NFL
ATLANTA 3
TAMPA BAY 24 1:14 LEFT, 2ND QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 11 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>