• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

With Garcia back, Bucs again look to win NFC South

Dec 16, 2007 - 1:07 PM Atlanta (3-10) at Tampa Bay (8-5) 1:00 pm EST

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

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hope to join Dallas, Green Bay and Seattle as NFC division winners when they host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

This is the Buccaneers' second chance to wrap up the division title as they suffered a 28-14 loss to the Houston Texans last week.

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

If the Buccaneers clinch the division, they will became the fifth 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 two games with a lower back bruise against the Washington Redskins on November 25.

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

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

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

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

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

"We are eager to get him back and have him healthy and ready to go play the way he has proven he likes to play aggressive, 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 months in jail on dogfighting charges, Atlanta suffered a 34-14 loss to the Saints.

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

Redman threw for two touchdowns and a career-high 298 yards but could not prevent the Falcons from suffering their fourth straight loss.