Bucs declaw panthers

TAMPA, Fla. (AP)—Jeff Garcia knows the drill.

Benched quarterbacks must wait patiently for chances to show they deserve playing time, then have to make the most of those opportunities.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection answered the call Sunday for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 27-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers, delivering exactly what they needed to climb into a tie for first place in the NFC South.

“This is just one game and we don’t know what’s going to happen next. But it felt great to be playing again. If we can just build on these things, we have a lot of good things to look forward to,” he said.

Garcia, starting for the first time since the opener because Brian Griese is injured, threw for 173 yards and a touchdown. Warrick Dunn had his most productive day running the ball since rejoining the Bucs with 115 yards on 22 carries.

The victory, Tampa Bay’s first at home against the division rival Panthers since 2002, enabled the Bucs (4-2) to pull even in the standings with Carolina (4-2), which sputtered a week after routing Kansas City 34-0.

A great win for the BUCS .Nobody predicated them to win.. I DID

GO BUCS