Jeff Garcia

What is better than a good old quarterback controversy?

Fans, the media, and players are at a constant standstill, and everyone is an expert.

Since agreeing to come to Oakland, Jeff Garcia has been pretty adamant about his confidence to still lead the team while JaMarcus Russell gets his game in gear. A few are even speculating that Garcia has a legit shot at being announced as the opening night starter versus the hated San Diego Chargers.

The Raiders never run a normal operation compared to other franchises, but is this really normal?

Al Davis has expressed his love for Russell's talent in action and words. An owner/GM will never select a QB No. 1 if they don't believe he can carry contending teams throughout the majority of his career. Straying from that plan does not help a team that is supposed to be rebuilding. Al is a wild guy, but he surely knows better considering the rumored environment at team headquarters.

Tom Cable is an extension for Davis. Call him a puppet or yes man if you must, but somehow, some way, the attitude and morale is higher in Alameda. It can only be perceived as a positive with a few weeks before Napa accepts the Raiders again. He has their attention and has called out Russell a few times on work ethic. Then he brings in Garcia to heat things up by mouthing off to the media every chance he gets.

I seriously wouldn't rule out Al and the Cable Guy planning this far in advance to force Russell's hand. Garcia may have been encouraged to exaggerate an open competition so the media can pick it up. It seems JaMarcus was content on doing what was only required by CBA rules, but with the news of his Alabama workouts this week, a change may have come.

Nonetheless, starting Garcia does nothing for your future.

I remember a press conference maybe two years ago when Davis admitted the players' No. 1 priority is money. This is very true, but ego is a close second. You want the publicity as the man on the team. Athletes live for it. Quarterback is the top spot in all sports, and I doubt a young QB surrounded by a lot of hype will let a 39-year-old washout take his job.

I applaud Davis and Cable if they really hatched this plan under everyone's nose while getting Russell top of the line QB coaching. Truth is that if Garcia is starting the majority of the season and Russell is a bust, the Raiders will have much more trouble than a six-year drought could ever produce.

Jeff Garcia sure likes to talk about himself.

Recently, it was reported by several newspapers that Garcia wasn't too keen on being second fiddle to JaMarcus Russell. In his own opinion, via the Chicago Times, he is "the best quarterback on the team."

Funny, I thought Tom Cable was the head coach, and isn't Paul Hackett in charge of the QBs?

I can understand Garcia's point of view. He just left a Tampa Bay team that fell apart, and he wanted to go out in his twilight years and try to have one or two more good seasons. For him, Oakland was a logical choice: close to home and with a questionable QB issue.

His mindset may be to throw out jabs at Russell either to get the big guy to perform better or to have a bad enough training camp that Hackett will somehow override Al Davis' wishes as to who will start.

There's also something to be said, though, about biting the hand that feeds you.

Davis brought in Garcia for a very specific job. I doubt his contract says, "Will start games for the Raiders."

Garcia was brought in to mentor and tutor this young QB since Lane Kiffin apparently gave up on the youngster.

Garcia shouldn't be dividing the team, having teammates start questioning who should be the starter. When you start to question your own team, you are no longer focusing on winning the game.

Lastly, anyone remember Jeff George's actions in his last season? He started off badly, got injured, refused to work with his own coaches, and then told a local radio station he was done for the year. After a season of being shocked, it was no surprise the Raiders ditched him.

Part of me would like to keep Garcia handy if he can perform, win games, and do well—but if he wants to stick around, derail the team, and cause infighting, maybe sending him home would be a better idea.

Is JaMarcus Russell the best quarterback in Oakland? Should veteran Jeff Garcia get the starting job?  Is there possibly a quarterback controversy in Oakland?

The Raiders picked Russell with the first overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft with the full intentions of making him their franchise quarterback.  It was a classic Al Davis selection: Russell has a strong, cannon arm and is a very physically gifted quarterback.

However, the signing of veteran Jeff Garcia this offseason has created some controversy.  Actually, Garcia himself is really the source of the this controversy.

"I think there has to be some realization at some point as to putting the best players on the field that are going to give you the best chance to win," Garcia said during a radio show in May. 

"Now, if JaMarcus is that guy, then he definitely deserves to be on the field and should be on the field. But, if for some reason with what I bring as a player, from a competitive nature, and just the intensity and emotion that I bring to the field, and the knowledge of the game that I have—if that gives us a better chance to win football games, then that decision is going to have to be left up to the coach and hopefully he can make the right decision for the team"

Russell has started 16 career games.  He's completed 53.9 percent of his passes, for 2,796 yards, 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. 

The Raiders are 5-11 when Russell starts at quarterback.

In 116 career regular season starts, Garcia has a record of 58-58 over his 10 year career.  He's 2-4 in six playoff games.

Garcia spent the 1999-2003 seasons with San Francisco, 2004 and 2005 with the Browns and Lions respectively, 2006 with the Eagles, and 2007-2008 with Tampa Bay.

Garcia is a four-time Pro-Bowler.  His career passing yardage total is 25,537 with 161 touchdowns, and 83 interceptions.

"It's not an easy role to accept because of the competitive nature that is within me," Garcia said.  "I understand that JaMarcus is the starting quarterback.  I do believe that I am a starting quarterback, as far as caliber is concerned."

Despite speculation that Garcia could take the starting job from Russell, the Raiders have said otherwise.

"Our decision's made. JaMarcus is our quarterback," Head coach Tom Cable said. "There's no issue there, no decisions to make there. What we have to do is get to camp and have that competition. This is a learning time. The competition will really get rolling when we get to Napa."

Maybe it will be a good idea to start Garcia in 2009 and let Russell sit on the bench.  It's been successful for many other teams recently.

Think about Jay Cutler (sat behind Jake Plummer), Aaron Rodgers (sat behind Brett Favre), Phillip Rivers (sat behind Drew Brees), Tom Brady (sat behind Drew Bledsoe), and several other quarterbacks who have had success recently as a starter.  They all had time to sit and watch a veteran play before they got their chance to run the offense.

Russell did sit out nearly his entire rookie season but was it long enough?  He's still only 23 years old and has a ton to learn. 

We all know Al Davis loves Russell so the possibility of Garcia starting is pretty slim.  However, I know I'm not alone when I say it's a pretty good idea to give the keys to Garcia for one season.

#4's impending return to the NFL has been by far the hottest topic of the off-season.

Based on blogs I've read, there seems to be very little gray area in terms of how fans feel regarding Favre and the Vikings.  You either love it (about 25%), hate it (about 25%), or wish everyone would stop talking about it (50% and growing). 

My apologies to the third group. 

I love the drama surrounding this "story", which has to be put in quotes because it isn't even a real story until he shows up to camp.  But that's exactly the problem with taking a side: the rivalry between the franchises and Favre's legacy make this move seem like more of an emotional decision than a performance-related one. 

I'm eager to hear what football (not just Packer and Viking) fans think about Minnesota's strategy here:  Assuming that they had no chance at trading for guys like Jay Cutler and Matt Cassell, did the Vikings have better options to pursue than Favre? 

They appear loaded with proven talent at nearly every position.  As a former player and coach, I'm of the opinion that the best QB for a team like that is one who keeps control of the ball, taking only occasional risks when situationally appropriate.  Brett can hardly be described as that kind of player- not now nor at any point in his career. 

I expect Favre to be an upgrade over Sage Rosenfels and Tavaris Jackson, but I also expect him to throw at least two or three CRAZY interceptions in close games, specifically in the playoffs. 

Compare Favre's numbers over the past 4 years with those of another 39-year-old veteran F/A:

Favre: 64 starts

88 tds (1.38/game), 84 picks (1.31/game), 37 fumbles (.58/game), 17 lost (.27/game), 85.4 career passer rating.

FAQB: 35 starts (due mostly to injuries to guys ahead of him on the depth chart)

38 tds (1.09), 18 picks (.51), 18 fumbles (.51), 6 lost (.18), 87.5 career passer rating. 

If the job requires handing off to Adrian Peterson 30 times a game and throwing for 200 yards without turning the ball over, I think a strong case can be made for FAQB...

...Jeff Garcia.

Agree, disagree, or suggest someone else!

This is going to sound crazy, but there will come a time this season when Bucs fans will miss Jeff Garcia.  Let that sink in for a minute. 

That moment might not come at home against the Cowboys in Week One, because let’s be honest, anyone can look good against that secondary.  There are children at your family reunions that could put up a good quarterback rating against Dallas.

And a cock-eyed, eye-patched Buccaneer optimist might even say Tampa Bay’s projected starter, Luke McCown, can handle a road game in Buffalo in Week Two because it won’t be cold yet.

But some time during the second quarter of Week 3; with the Bucs unable to move the chains against a physical Giants defense, with McCown taking sacks and forcing passes, the boos will come.  And each one of those boos will be followed by the realization that maybe the Bucs shouldn’t have been so quick to let Garcia go. 

Because even the most casual football fans know the NFL is a quarterback league.  You can make all the off-season moves you want; if you don’t have a smart head and a solid arm under center, your season is over before it starts. 

This isn’t an indictment of McCown’s ability by any means.  He’s said and done all the right things this off-season.  When the Bucs used their first pick in the draft on Josh Freeman, McCown showed the appropriate competitive fire by saying someone would have to take the starting job from him over his dead body. 

The problem is, McCown’s game experience has primarily come against second and third string squads in the pre-season.  He’s played in exactly 12 more NFL games than you have. 

And it’s a real shame because, at least offensively, the pieces are there.  Derrick Ward finally has a shot to prove he can be a number one back, and should stay fresh as he splits carries with a healthy Earnest Graham.  Kellen Winslow was a fantastic addition to a team that played tight end roulette for the entire Gruden administration. 

Antonio Bryant turned a corner in a big way last season and gives the Bucs a legitimate home run threat, and Michael Clayton could bring his game out of witness protection thanks to the solid relationship he already has with McCown.

But Tampa Bay’s most important offensive acquisition won’t even put on a uniform.  At Boston College, new Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski helped make Falcons QB Matt Ryan into what he is today.  Is it crazy to think lightning could strike twice?

In a word: probably.  There’s no telling how Jagodzinksi’s offense will translate from the college game into the NFL, and keep in mind, he had four years with Ryan at Boston College.  He’s had less than nine months to work with McCown.  Also (and this is meant as respectfully as possible), we know Matt Ryan.  Matt Ryan is a friend of ours.  McCown is no Matt Ryan.  At least not yet.

It might not even be fair to judge McCown on this season.  He has to deal with a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator and a killer schedule.  As a matter of fact, Tampa Bay’s schedule is the fifth-hardest in the league next season (opposing teams have a .580 winning percentage). 

Part of that is because they play in the NFL’s toughest division.  Part of it is because they’re lined up to play the NFC East out of conference.  But here’s the kicker: the Bucs have to play a “home” game in London.  Against the Patriots.  With a healthy Tom Brady looking to make up for lost time.  Ouch.

But the Bucs have more issues than their schedule and their quarterback.  One of the biggest reasons for Tampa Bay’s collapse last season (you’re probably trying to forget, but the Bucs started 9-3 last season and went on to finish 9-7) was the defense.  Specifically, the defensive line. 

Remember the Monday night game against the Panthers in December?  The Bucs gave up 3,478 rushing yards in that game (rough estimate) because the defensive line got pushed out of position and had trouble tackling.

That defensive “effort” continued through the rest of the season and the Bucs lost their last four games and missed the playoffs.  Can new Defensive Coordinator Jim Bates stop the bleeding?

He didn’t get much help in the offseason.  You might have thought the Bucs would address the defensive line with their first pick in the draft, but they didn’t.  You might have also thought new General Manager Mark Dominik would have made a move in free agency to shore up what the league knows is Tampa Bay’s most glaring weakness.  They didn’t. 

The secondary is another year older, which is both good and bad news.  Cornerback Ronde Barber is another year older and has already shown signs he’s lost a step.

But the Bucs young safeties have another year under their belts and that’s good news for guys like Jermaine Phillips, Tanard Jackson, and Sabby Piscitelli who have already demonstrated a penchant for the big hit and a nose for the football.

New Head Coach Raheem Morris is a defensive guy and early signs from mini camp are his guys will play hard for him.  Very hard.  It could be because he’s young enough to play himself, but Morris looks like one of the best motivating head coaches the Bucs have ever had.

The question is, can Morris keep control of the locker room if the Bucs get out to a slow start?  Because realistically, this is a 4-12 team.

Here’s the good news: it might not come to that.  In a Jim Carrey-in-Dumb-and-Dumber kind of way, the Bucs have a chance to surprise some people.  It’s not out of the question for the Bucs to win their first two games.

The Cowboys are a different team without Terrell Owens and Buffalo isn’t BUFFALO in September.  Let’s be realistic and say the Bucs drop one to the Giants in Week Three and then get a road win over an underachieving Redskins team in Washington in Week Four.

That’s a 3-1 start to the season and even if the Bucs lose their next three (at Philadelphia, Carolina at home and the Patriots in London), they head into the bye week one game under .500.  You’d take that right now, right? 

The point is this: the Bucs play five of their six division games in the second half of the season.  That’s after their bye week and after a couple of resume-building games against the Packers at home and against the Dolphins over in Miami. 

Maybe Jagodzinski’s system is getting its legs.  Maybe Luke McCown has started to assert himself and has shown command of the offense.  Maybe the defense has kept the Bucs in more games than it hasn’t.  Admit it; you’re nodding your head as you read this.

Maybe Bucs fans won’t miss Jeff Garcia after all.

Lately nearly every so-called expert has been predicting that Michael Vick will join the Oakland Raiders.  They have nothing more to back this up than saying that Al Davis is crazy, he loves speed, he doesn't care what anyone else thinks, JaMarcus is a bust and Jeff Garcia is too old. 

Analysts also predicted other problem players to join the Raiders: Tank Johnson, Terrell Owen, Adam Jones, Plaxico Burress as well as a few others, I'm sure.  After countless bold predictions by pundits regarding the Raiders you'd think they'd eventually get one right. Maybe Michael Vick is it. 

You know, like they say,  "even a blind squirrel finds a nut."

But all people seem to be able to do is highlight the negatives while completely disregarding the positives.  Let's take a look and some of the positive effects Michael Vick joining the Raiders could have.

1.  Vick would motivate JaMarcus Russell without challenging him for his job

Vick will not be reinstated until July and the Atlanta Falcons still own the rights to his contract.  They won't decide to trade or release him until he is reinstated meaning Vick cannot participate in team activities until late July, maybe August.  That is not nearly enough time to digest and learn a new playbook,  meaning this year Vick will only be used as a situational player.

But Vick would be a good investment as a backup for next year as Jeff Garcia is nearly 40 and won't be around much longer.

With Russell knowing theres a 30-year-old QB as explosive as Vick waiting for his chance, he will have no choice but to prove he is the guy now.

2.  A positive locker room presence.

Contrary to popular belief, Vick has always been a positive presence in the locker room as well a great team first guy.  These are the kind of players head coach Tom Cable has been trying to bring into the organization.

Former players and coaches including Alge Crumpler, DeAngelo Hall and nearly all of Virgina Tech have had nothing about good things to say about him in this regard.

3.  Al Davis really doesn't care what anyone else thinks and neither should we

Sure Al Davis loves speed he also doesn't care what anyone else thinks, but he is not crazy and he know when he sees an opportunity to improve his team and he loves to take risks.

Sure signing Vick would be a bad PR move.  Sure the media would tear it up and have a field day with it, but what Raider transaction isn't condemned by the media.

And aside from a few more haters what negative could this really bring.

PETA may protest but who cares I'm surprised they aren't protesting JaMarcus Russell with all those big fur coats he wears.

Al Davis is also known for bringing in so called "outcasts" to play with a high rate of success.

4.  Cost to attain

With all the negative media attention and many teams likely to stay away, Vick can likely be had for a reasonable price, especially if Atlanta decides to release him rather then attempt a trade.

Also assuming he comes back to anywhere near his former self, he will be valued higher than what was paid for him.  With this he may be able to be traded later for better value, you know, like flipping a foreclosed home.

Also Vick in his first year is likely to only require the veteran minimum.

5.  Wlidcat formation

Though he doesn't have adequate time to learn a whole playbook he could easily learn this one formation which he would be highly effective in.

Just imagine the wildcat formation with Vick split out, Michael Bush and Darren McFadden in the backfield and Darrius Heyward-Bey, Johnny Lee Higgins and Zack Miller all as legitimate targets on the field.  Could any defense cover that much speed?

6.  Madden factor.

Who didn't hate playing against the Falcons and Mike Vick in the previous Maddens?  At least he would be in the depths of our roster behind Russell and Garcia.

Also just think every once in a while you could sub him in for a little surprise for the defense.

There are also negatives in signing Vick.

The first could be Atlanta asking to much for him though assuming this happens they may end up stuck with him.

If the Raiders signed Vick it would cause people to further dislike the Raiders but like I said Al Davis doesn't care,  I don't care and neither should you.

Coming in so late he may not learn enough to even participate at all his first year and may have trouble readjusting back to the game at the NFL level.  With this he may end up as just dead space on the roster.

He also may have lost a step his former 4.3 speed has likely diminished and whether he will ever get it back is a valid concern.

But whatever in my opinion the positives outweigh the negatives and we shouldn't be against signing Vick.

Terrell Owens, the Mega-Star WR, has arrived in Buffalo, New York.

To make a long story short, Buffalo, NY is not a major city. It's not even a major populated area. But if I didn't know that before hand, I'm certain I would have thought that after watching the throng of wildly cheering fans waiting for TO to appear at the local airport.

Now before we go any further, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I've had a long and estranged relationship with the NFL player known as TO for the past 5+ years. I've loved him, I've hated him and for the most part I've respected him, even if it's usually only as a player and not as a person.

If anybody has a good reason for writing a story about him, it would probably be me.

It all started way back when Terrell Owens was still playing with Jeff Garcia for the San Francisco 49ers. Many of you know that Owens was tutored on the lap of arguably the best WR in NFL history, Jerry Rice.

When Jerry Rice left the city of 'Frisco, the timing was right and the stars were aligned for Terrell Owens to bloom into the next great wide receiver. Where there was once a young, talented and quiet receiver drafted in the 3rd round out of Chattanooga, there stood a loud-mouthed, egotistical star, better known as the player known as TO.

At this point, somewhere before the 2003 season, TO began to be a part of a string of team incidents causing a growing rift between himself and QB Jeff Garcia. He also insinuating that Garcia was homosexual in a Playboy interview.

Both Pro-Bowl players did things that we're not about to get into; Suffice it to say that by the end of the season, TO really wanted out.

He wanted to go to Baltimore.

This is where my relationship with TO began. Rumors of an all-star receiver, a player that would instantly become an upgrade for our woeful passing game, were running rampant. I was hooked. I wanted him to come here, he wanted to come here, everything was about to change.

Well, everything was gonna change, just not how I wanted.

Now most of my regular readers know that I am, at heart, a Baltimore Raven's fan. What some of you know is that I also have a great deal of love and respect for another NFL team as well, the Philadelphia Eagles.

To sum up what happened over the course of that off-season in a nutshell, TO evidently did NOT want to come and play for the Ravens. According to him he never did, the trade that would have sent him here from the 49ers had been totally set-up by his agent and the Raven's management team.

Even though legally he was bound by the terms of the trade, something that eventually had to be handled by a third-party Arbitrator, he somehow found a loophole that allowed him to deal with another team. This was after he and his agents had missed the deadline that would allow him to explore options without the team's approval.

The team he said that he would really like to play for was the Philadelphia Eagles. A win-win situation, right? Well, I guess I could forgive him even though he had openly stated that he would never play for Baltimore. At this point I was still young and naive.

At least he would end up playing for my second favorite team.

The first season he played for Philly, he was everything I had ever dreamed he would be. Totalling 1200 receiving yards and 14 TDs in the 14 games before he was injured, Owens helped the Eagles reach the title game, where they lost to the New England Patriots.

By this point I had almost forgotten the events that had happened the season prior and had gone as far as to buy an authentic No. 81 game-day jersey. I was fully and utterly enthralled by the belief that TO and his QB, Donovan McNabb would bring home a world championship before long.

This is where the wheels fell off. Immediately following the Super Bowl defeat, Owens once again began to run his mouth. This time it was at both head-coach Andy Reid and McNabb, stating that McNabb had been too tired in the Super Bowl.

After only one year, TO signed with new agent Drew Rosenhaus and began to demand that his seven-year, $49 million dollar contract be re-negotiated. To be fair, his contract was pretty back-loaded; basically more than 70 percent of his contract money was in the last 3 years of the deal. Either way, he threatened to hold-out of training camp.

I was devastated. Over the course of his second season in Philadelphia, Owens slowly but steadily alienated many of his teammates, even going as far as getting into a physical altercation with a teammate in the locker-room.

Not even halfway through the season, between a firestorm of continued remarks targeting both the management and his QB, the Eagles finally suspended him for four games and deactivated him for the rest of the season.

The next season he was released, eventually signing with the circus formerly known as the Dallas Cowboys.

While this may not really matter to you, Dallas is one of Philly's most hated division rivals. In fact, TO himself routinely made himself a hated target of Dallas fans everywhere by stomping all over the Dallas star every time he got a chance. For him to betray us like this was the last straw.

The second I heard he had signed with the Cowboys, I took the TO jersey I had out of the closet, walked out back into the woods and screamed as I stomped it into the mud and dirt.

He had already snubbed my beloved Ravens, had destroyed the Eagles locker-room in only his second season with them and finally he had chosen to sign with their bitter division-rivals. I was done with my infatuation with TO.

Or so I thought. Little did I know that whether he played for one of my teams or he played elsewhere in the division, his brash comments and his spectacular play would keep him firmly in both the media's and my sight.

So let's fast forward a couple seasons, through the second season in Dallas in which they earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and through last season in which they were blown out in week 17 in a game they needed to win to earn a wild-card berth.

This past off-season, in a surprise move to just about everyone including TO himself, Jerry Jones chose to release Owens, ending his career in Dallas. This was very odd considering that he had just signed a new three-year contract at the beginning of last season.

Finding himself without a job for the second time in four years, TO quickly found out that his antics had really begun to wear out his welcome with almost all of the 32 NFL teams.

Just a quick count of the teams that were pretty much out of the discussion included the 49ers, the Ravens, Eagles, Cowboys,Texans, Colts, Panthers, Patriots, Cardinals, and just about any other team that either a) ran a tight ship, or b) already had a solid No. 1 receiver.

Buffalo was counted as one of those teams by just about the entire national media for a couple reasons. They weren't solid at QB, what with Trent Edwards still struggling to create an offensive identity for the team. They already had Lee Evans, arguably one of the best receivers in the league.

They also factored in the head coach, Dick Jauron, being one of those old-school coaches who didn't want a dynamic, troublesome personality like TO overpowering his young starting QB and dividing his locker-room.

So it came as a shock to everyone in the league, including the NFL.com analysts, when Buffalo signed TO to a one-year, 6.5 million dollar contract. However, after my initial reaction of disgust and head-shaking, I took a step back and a few moments to really look at the situation.

First, the positives.

1. Buffalo needs star-power to persuade fans to start buying season-tickets. They are a small-market team with not a lot of success since the days the Jim Kelly. TO is just the type of player to fit the bill.

For only 6.5 million dollars, chump change compared to how much Buffalo is going to make in season-ticket and apparel sales, the Bills get a bonafied star and excellent receiver all in a neat little package.

2. Buffalo needs another WR to start opposite Lee Evans. Last season, defenses were taking advantage of the team's lack of receivers and receiver depth by double-teaming Evans.

By adding TO, the team upgraded it's receivers and forces opposing teams to stay honest. This is huge, considering their star-RB Marshawn Lynch is facing a 3-game suspension to start the upcoming season.

3. TO has always behaved for at least one season with every team he has played for. Besides being a rookie for the 49ers, TO helped lead the Eagles to the title game in his first season and Dallas to a 13-3 record and a first-round bye with Dallas in his second.

Sure he can cause a lot of trouble for any team that signs him but the chance that it will happen with only a one-year contract are slim to none.

And now, the negatives.

1. TO does not deal with the media and the national audience as professionally as he probably should. He sometimes makes comments and decisions without thinking about the consequences, leading to a lot of tense situations. He also has a tendency to call out his QB and often gets irritated if not given the opportunity to catch enough passes.

2. TO can destroy a team and their locker room. This is just a known fact, something that I'm sure the Bills organization thought long and hard about before they signed him.

The years following his release from both the 49ers and the Eagles ended in utter failure. I didn't really see it happen as much with the Cowboys but then again he was released before any lasting damage was caused this time.

Now just looking at the positives and negatives, you might think there are more things TO can do to help the Bills then he can to hurt them. I suggest you don't overlook how important the second negative really is.

I personally think that with this being pretty much his last chance now that he's 35 years old, TO might just behave and try to extend his career a few more years. If Buffalo releases TO during or after this season, I'm pretty sure his options will be extremely limited next season, regardless of how well he does.

Teams just aren't going to pay that kind of money for a receiver of his age, even if training and conditioning have kept his body looking at least 5 years younger. I think TO knows this and is actually going to take this stop pretty seriously, regardless of how cold it gets up there.

So with a little luck, some success and a little bridge-building between TO and some of his teammates, perhaps the Buffalo Bills-including Marshawn Lynch-will end up turning the '09 season into a playoff berth.

As for me, it's not that I love or even like TO as a player or a person. It's not that I want him playing on either of my teams. The only thing I can say for certain is this.

Terrell Owens is perhaps the most exciting player in the NFL, bar none. No other elite wide receiver signed this offseason can single-handedly change a team, for better or worse, like he can.

Michael, Wong_83@hotmail.com, who btw still owns the dirty, stained #81 Eagles jersey somewhere in his walk-in closet.

From 2001-2004, the Philadelphia Eagles won four straight NFC East titles and made four straight NFC Conference Championship appearances.

Jan. 23, 2005 will always be remembered as the day the Eagles ended their streak of losing three straight NFC Championship games by defeating Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons 24-10.

Despite losing to the New England Patriots 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX, that season will always be one for the memory books for the Eagles and their fans.

After making NFL history (not the type teams want to be remembered for) by losing three straight NFC Championship games, with two straight at home, the team and their fans finally experienced the feeling of winning a conference title and a Super Bowl appearance.

In those four straight years the Eagles appeared in the NFC Conference Championships, they had little trouble when it came to playing teams within the NFC East.

• In 2001, they finished 5-1 within the division and finished three games in front of the Redskins.
• In 2002, they finished 5-1 within the division and finished two games ahead of the Giants.
• In 2003, they finished 5-1 within the division and finished two games ahead of the Cowboys.
• In 2004, they finished 6-0 within the division and finished seven games ahead of all three teams.

The 2005 season was a season to forget as the Eagles failed to win their fifth straight division title. Donovan McNabb's season ended early because of a sports hernia and thumb injury.

The Terrell Owens controversy took a turn for the worse as he was suspended four games before being deactivated for the remainder of the season. The team finished with a 6-10 record and became the first team in history to finish 0-6 in their division a season after going 6-0.

The city of Philadelphia was experiencing a feeling they hadn't felt in nearly five years. A division that had been theirs to claim for so many years was becoming one of the most competitive divisions in football.

Eli Manning was emerging as a young star as he led the Giants to their first division title since 2000. Clinton Portis continued to soar in his second season with the Redskins. All of a sudden, the NFC East was emerging as one of the toughest divisions in football.

In 2006, the Eagles bounced back from their horrendous 2005 season by claiming their fifth NFC East title in six years. The season may have ended early after a Divisional Round playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints, but from a fan's perspective, the way the Eagles won the division title that year will always be one for the memory books.

The Eagles started out the 2006 season with a 4-1 record, with a healthy Donovan McNabb looking like his former self. Through the first five games, he threw for 1,602 yards, 11 touchdowns, and only one interception. Unfortunately, the fast start took a turn for the worse during the next couple of games.

After a 4-1 start, the Eagles went on to lose four of their next five games. During a game on Nov. 19 against the Tennessee Titans, McNabb tore his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his right knee and would have to sit for the remainder of the season.

All of a sudden, the 5-5 Eagles' season looked to be a lost cause since their star quarterback would be out until the following season.

Since McNabb was unable to play for the remainder of the season, head coach Andy Reid decided to start newly acquired Jeff Garcia at quarterback. As usual, the typical fans didn't hold back expressing their feelings about Reid's decision.

The fans of Philadelphia (including myself) at the time wanted to see A.J. Feeley start over Garcia. Feeley was part of the Eagles' playoff run in 2002 in which the team finished 5-1 without McNabb, who broke his ankle against the Cardinals the game before. They assumed if he had done it once, he could do it again.

In his first official start as a Philadelphia Eagle, Garcia put up solid numbers against the Indianapolis Colts. He finished 19 of 23 passing for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

Unfortunately, it was not enough to stop Peyton Manning and company, as the Eagles were blown out 45-21 and found themselves in third place in the division with a 5-6 record.

The following week, the Eagles found themselves in a Monday Night Football matchup against Jake Delhomme and the Carolina Panthers. It was no surprise the fans showed no brotherly love toward Garcia in his first official start at Lincoln Financial Field, as he received constant booing through most of the game. That is, until he showed them he had what it took to be McNabb's replacement.

Trailing 21-14 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Garcia helped the Eagles score 13 points in the final quarter as they went on to beat the Panthers 27-24. He had a history of playing well against Carolina, and this pivotal game was nothing different, as he finished 21 of 39 for 312 yards and three touchdowns.

All of a sudden, the fans who had been hating on Garcia the entire time were supporting him with nothing but brotherly love. Little did they know this was only the beginning of his era in Philadelphia.

The month of December consisted of three road games for the Eagles against each of their division rivals. If the Eagles even wanted a shot at making the playoffs, they would most likely need to win the remainder of their regular season games.

That's exactly what they did.

It's hard to imagine a team marching into each of their division rival's stadium three weeks in a row and pulling off a road win each time. Somehow, Jeff Garcia and the Eagles pulled it off.

After three straight wins at Washington, New York, and Dallas, the Eagles all of a sudden found themselves playing for more than a playoff spot. After winning in Dallas and clinching at least a wild card berth, the team found themselves in the final week of the season with a chance to win the NFC East title for the fifth time in six years.

In the final week of the regular season, both the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys sat atop the NFC East standings with a 9-6 record. However, the Eagles held the tiebreaker since they had defeated the Cowboys twice already.

If the Cowboys could beat the Lions and the Falcons could beat the Eagles, the Cowboys would receive a home playoff game while the Eagles would find themselves on the road.

Long story short: The Eagles would automatically play at home with a win against the Falcons or a Cowboys loss.

At the time, it was assumed the Eagles would have to win their regular season finale considering the 9-6 Cowboys were playing the 2-13 Lions in Dallas—a team with everything to play for going against a team already looking ahead to next season. There was no way the Cowboys could lose, right?

There is a famous quote in the NFL about how on any given Sunday, any team can do the unthinkable and win. This quote fit the Cowboys-Lions game perfectly as Detroit pulled off the miraculous win on the road, defeating Dallas 39-31.

With the loss, the Cowboys lost every chance of winning the NFC East title, which meant they had to settle for a first round matchup at Seattle. Meanwhile, the Eagles-Falcons game was meaningless for Philadelphia as they automatically locked up the No. 3 seed with the Dallas loss.

The Eagles went on to defeat their division rival New York Giants in the first round of the playoffs 23-20 after a game-winning field goal by David Akers. Unfortunately, they were eliminated by the New Orleans Saints 27-24 in the next round and fell short of reaching their fifth NFC Championship in six years.

The Eagles' hopes of a Super Bowl appearance may have been shattered following the heartbreaking loss to the Saints. However, the Eagles concluded their 2006 campaign with a finish that fans will remember for years to come.

Fans can say there is nothing special about being eliminated in the playoffs. They can even say there is nothing special about winning the NFC East title since they had won it so many times before.

However, this season was memorable because nobody expected the Eagles to finish the way they did. When they won four straight division titles in the four straight years they appeared in the NFC Conference Championship, many fans and analysts expected them to be in that position because of their previous success.

When Donovan McNabb went down in Week 11, the Eagles were in need of a miracle if they were to play in the postseason. With a 5-6 record heading into Week 13, it seemed as if the only way the Eagles could make the playoffs is if they won their final five games while receiving help from other NFC teams. Nobody expected it to actually happen that way.

Nobody could have predicted the new light Jeff Garcia shed on the Philadelphia Eagles. He took a team that had lost five of their last six games and helped them win the next five to finish as NFC East Champions with a 10-6 record. Garcia finished the regular season with 1,309 yards passing, 10 touchdowns, and just two interceptions.

The 2006 season may not be the same as other playoff runs for the Eagles. There was no celebration for winning the NFC Championship. In fact, there wasn't even a conference championship.

However, the season gave fans the excitement of a late playoff run when all chances seemed to be impossible weeks before. The 2006 season will always be remembered as the season Jeff Garcia helped the Eagles clinch another NFC East title when all hope seemed lost at one point.

He may have only been with the team for one season. However, Jeff Garcia will always be appreciated by the city of Philadelphia for all of the memories he gave them that one year with the team.

When you start talking about shootouts, there is usually money and a bank involved. The only thing I'm willing to bank on is Tom Cable is willing to bench JaMarcus Russell if he isn't the best QB on Sunday.

Right now it's Russell's job to lose. What happens the first three days of Rookie Camp doesn't a season make, so both Russell and Jeff Garcia are rusty. Both are extremely talented, with generous amounts of starting ability.

It's not going to be the end of the world for Russell if he plays a quarter or two and Garcia comes in to finish the game and secure the win. With a schedule like the Raiders have, top five quarterbacks would take their lumps. No one is going to argue that the Raiders are playing a list of creme puffs.

The Raiders do have a trio of backs that are considered elite and with the addition of Lorenzo Neal making huge holes, they only look stronger.

I actually read an article that predicted both Darren McFadden and Michael Bush finish in the top 10 this year. I don't know if I will go as far as predicting both finish that high, but the possibility is there.

More surprising than that complimentary remark is the omission of comments about the Raiders' defensive line. The consensus appears to be that there is a weakness at the wide receiver spot.

I think Darrius Heyward-Bey, Johnnie Lee Higgins, and Chaz Schilens are going to be very strong this year. Adding to the synergy they will bring is the absence of receivers not being able to find a handle on the ball. JaMarcus Russell's stats suffered last year because of this.

Javon Walker is either going to impress every coach on the field or find himself unemployed. As much upside as Walker brings, it would be a shame to see him out of football. Arman Shields is another concern.  The film on him is fantastic, the only problem is, that's the only place you're probably ever going to see him play.

All in all, the list of improvements has the Raiders rising to Dark Horse status, which isn't a bad thing.

The Oakland Raiders announced on Wednesday four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Jeff Garcia signed a one-year contract with the team. 

While Raiders executive John Herrera stated, "We're not going to say anything about a role", it is clear what Garcia's "role" will be: To mold and tutor JaMarcus Russell. 

For those familiar with Garcia's career, it may come as a surprise he has accepted a role as a backup/tutor to the Raiders' quarterback-of-the-future.  The 10-year veteran forced his way into the league by his exemplary work ethic and unwavering self-confidence.  

Garcia also developed a sizable chip on his shoulder after he was forced to play in the Canadian Football League at the conclusion of his stellar college career at San Jose State. 

He only received his NFL shot when his father impressed the late Bill Walsh with game tape of his son’s play in Canada and college.  Walsh recommended him to the 49ers and then-coach Steve Mariucci. 

Garcia got the try out and eventually the starting job.  He was driven to prove he belonged in the NFL. 

Garcia played for the 49ers for five seasons and was selected for the Pro Bowl three times.  After his success in the Bay Area, Garcia bounced around the league, landing in Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay.  Garcia enjoyed success with the Buccaneers, starting 24 games over the last two seasons. 

Even at 39, Garcia still has plenty of talent and drive left to play the game.  How he will accept a role as backup is still in the air. 

One may wonder how suited the 6'1", 205 pound mobile Garcia is to tutor Russell who is a mountainous 6'6" and 260 pound pocket passer.  One may wonder that is, until they consider what Garcia is being asked to do. 

At the NFL owner’s meeting last month, Raiders coach Tom Cable reiterated his belief that JaMarcus Russell has room to improve as the leader of his team by “working more, working harder, working longer than everybody else, accepting the responsibility that his teammates look to him as the face of the organization, that he has to go above and beyond almost on a daily basis.” 

Who better to help Russell embrace his role as the leader of the team than the quarterback who only made it into the league by working more, working harder and working longer than everybody else? 

In my last article, I made the case that Russell needed to act more like Rich Gannon.  However, while Rich Gannon was putting the Raiders on his back by outworking everybody else, the Bay Area was blessed enough to have Jeff Garcia on the other side of the Bay doing exactly the same thing. 

So, while Rich Gannon isn’t available to tutor Russell due to his desire to spend more time with his daughters in Minnesota, Jeff Garcia is available and has now signed a one-year agreement.

It is no accident Jeff Garcia came to the Raiders.  Paul Hackett, the Raiders current quarterbacks coach, helped Garcia reach the Pro Bowl in 2007 when he was the Buccaneers quarterbacks coach.

Ted Tollner, the Raiders passing-game coordinator, was Garcia’s quarterbacks coach for his final two years in San Francisco. 

Both coaches are extremely familiar with Garcia as both a person and the consumate professional, and surely endorse him as Russell’s tutor. 

Garcia’s work ethic and approach to the game will be on full display for Russell to see each and every day.  Indeed, it was reported Garcia was on the Raiders practice field within moments after signing his one-year agreement. 

With Garcia’s signing, the Oakland Raiders have continued to improve and are positioning themselves to finally retake the AFC West.