Sports Poll
 
Your thoughts on the annual hot dog eating contest on the 4th of July?
Awesome
Gross
Stupid
All of the Above
Past Polls
   Top Sports
 
   Opinion
 

 'Hey, mom, that's really not my report card, honest …'
Jul 2, 2009
 
 Sadly, a GHS example of all that is wrong with high school athletics
Jul 2, 2009
 
  More Opinion...

SPORTS > PRO SPORTS


Garcia, Bucs catch a break
Nov 2, 2008
 By Associated Press

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia slips past Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Tank Tyler as he looks to pass in the third quarter Sunday. The Buccaneers won 30-27 in overtime.
Photo by: Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tampa Bay had four turnovers and a raft of injured starters. No matter, they were in Kansas City - and caught an incredibly lucky break.

Jeff Garcia's 24-yard touchdown pass and 2-point conversion toss tied it with 19 seconds left and Matt Bryant's 33-yard field goal in overtime gave the Buccaneers a 30-27 win over the Chiefs on Sunday after trailing by 21 points.

The Chiefs (1-7) never touched the ball in overtime as Garcia hit Michael Clayton for 29 yards on the first play and smartly moved Tampa Bay (6-3) down the field.

Adding to the dismay of the Chiefs was the fact that Bryant was wide right on a 38-yard try on third down in the overtime drive. But a false start penalty on Jeremy Trueblood negated the play. So with a third down, the Bucs tried another play, and Garcia connected with Jameel Cook for nine yards, setting up a game-winning field goal that must have landed on the Chiefs like a punch to the midsection.

Garcia hit 31 of 43 passes for 339 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. The Chiefs' Tyler Thigpen, making his third career start, was 14-for-25 for 164 yards and a touchdown.

He also caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Mark Bradley, but the Chiefs lost for the 16th time in 17 games.

The Bucs appeared to have blown their comeback bid when Earnest Graham fumbled at the goal line and Kansas City's Jarrad Page recovered in the end zone with 3:24 to go.

But the Chiefs wound up punting and Garcia took over on the 50 and quickly moved down field.

The injury-weakened Bucs fell behind 24-3 in the second quarter. But scored 10 quick points at the end of the first half on Clifton Smith's 97-yard kickoff return and Bryant's 43-yard field goal.

In the second half, one play after Turk McBride recovered Smith's fumble for Kansas City, Tanard Jackson forced Jamaal Charles to drop the ball and then recovered it himself on the Chiefs' 3.

Graham took the handoff and Smith was all by himself in the end zone as the running back pulled up and tossed him a 3-yard TD, making it 24-19.

Less than 2 minutes later, the Bucs appeared to have scored when Phillip Buchanon intercepted Thigpen's pass and returned it to the end zone. But an illegal contact penalty on safety Sabby Piscitelli negated the play and Connor Barth's 28-yard field goal gave K.C. a 27-19 lead.

The Chiefs were leading 14-3 when Thigpen, on first down from the 37, lined up wide right, across from 12-year veteran cornerback Ronde Barber.

The ball was snapped directly to running back Jamaal Charles, and Barber ignored Thigpen as Charles turned around and pitched the ball to Bradley on what looked like an end around.

Bradley, after nearly fumbling the high pitch, pulled up and heaved the ball toward Thigpen, who was alone in the end zone.

Thigpen hit Dwayne Bowe with a 7-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead on the first possession. Graham then fumbled to McBride on the Bucs' first play and Kolby Smith scored on a 1-yard run.

Bryant's great one-handed catch for 21 yards set up Bryant's 25-yard field goal for the Bucs and then Bryant closed out the second quarter with a 43-yarder, trimming the lead to 24-13.

Counting running back Warrick Dunn, their second-leading rusher, the Bucs were missing four injured starters, including safety Jermaine Phillips, left guard Arron Sears and fullback B.J. Askew.

The Chiefs were missing running back Larry Johnson, who sat out a third straight game for disciplinary reasons, and were further weakened when Smith went out in the second quarter with a knee sprain.


Associated Press
Got a question or a comment? Send us an email.

POST A COMMENT

If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate. Here are the full legal terms you agree to by using this comment form.

blog comments powered by Disqus

Add to Google Add to My Yahoo!  Email This Article  Print
 Sports: Pro Sports
Barnstormers to play for Team USA
Jun 30, 2009
 
Summer grind
Jun 18, 2009
 
Barnstormers see championship hopes, several careers come to an end
Jun 15, 2009
 
Ghost gets back on the right track
Jun 12, 2009
 
 Sports: Youth Sports
The camp they never had
Jul 1, 2009
 
Silicon Valley Mustangs tally two more titles
Jun 24, 2009
 
Splashing good time
Jun 22, 2009
 
Hawks snag 19 medals at Freestyle State Championships
Jun 22, 2009
 
 Sports: Gavilan College Rams
Ortiz named top student-athlete
Jun 15, 2009
 
Rams learn lessons from rough season
May 11, 2009
 
Lady Rams reach end of the line
May 7, 2009
 
Lady Rams face Sac City in playoffs
Apr 28, 2009
 
More Pro Sports... More Youth Sports... More Gavilan College Rams...


 Obituaries

 Baltazar Jimenez Haro, Sr.
3/8/1923 - 7/1/2009

 David Narvaez, Jr.
10/27/1955 - 6/27/2009

 Raul M. Cesena
6/29/1935 - 6/28/2009

 David L. Yoder
6/23/1936 - 6/28/2009

 Louise C. Schulte
8/4/1914 - 6/27/2009

 Louie Anthony Valdez
2/10/1990 - 6/25/2009

 Victor Julian Rizzi
11/5/1948 - 6/24/2009

 James Edward Hults
9/20/1936 - 6/23/2009

 Raul Raymond Heredia
12/18/1968 - 6/23/2009

 Photos
News
     
Sports
     
Special Events
     
Full Pages
     
 Videos
Fire claims 58 hay bales, but homeowner protects home
Jun 24, 2009
 
Propane tank catches fire
Jun 24, 2009
 
Fatal crash on Highway 152
Jun 19, 2009
 
Goodbye Gilroy High School
Jun 17, 2009
 
 GilroyTV
 Most Wanted
 
More Obituaries... More Photos... More Videos...
Advertise | Contact Us | Subscriber Center | RSS Feed
Copyright © 2009 | MainStreet Media Group | All rights reserved.