Bucs fans nervously awaited word on Jeff Garcia’s status for the game against the Saints, realizing that his absence could give New Orleans an edge in a game they desperately needed to keep pace in the NFC South.

As expected, Luke McCown got the start. But rather than merely manage the game and - save for an interception and taking a safety that gave the Saints a late lead - he came up big, raising questions about why Bucs coach Jon Gruden hadn’t installed him as the second-string quarterback earlier.

McCown went 29-for-37 for 313 yards and two touchdowns, and more importantly, he was able to get the ball in Joey Galloway’s hands, as they hooked up on seven passes for 159 yards.

Granted, it took a muffed trick play by the Saints to put the Bucs in position to win, but McCown’s effort should at least provide some peace of mind as Garcia continues to mend. And with a three-game lead in the division with four games remaining, the Bucs have the luxury of getting him fully healthy.

Were you surprised by McCown’s big day, and should he have been the second-string QB all along?

It looks as thow we may have found our quarterback of the future.  I may be jumping the gun here a little bit from one game, but I think he played pretty well.  Yes, there were a few mistakes, but that’s to be expected from someone with as much playing time as him.  If Gradkowski is gone in the offseason (which I think he will be), the Bucs could be set with McCown as the starter and Simms as the backup.

McCown was big today (and so was his brother in Oakland as he won as well).  Not my position to question the coach, but there must have been something he did not like in practice or the preseason that made him pick McCown as third string.  The good news is that Gradkowski’s terrible performance against Washington almost cost the Bucs a win and opened Gruden’s eyes that Gradkowsi is not the answer.  Giving McCown his first chance today he proved capable of making the big play, checking off of the primary reciever, giving the Bucs the third most offensive yards in the first half since 1991, and making them a much more dynamic team.

As stated already, he did make a few costly mistakes but fortunately he did more right than wrong and given the chance to redeem himself at the end of the game he did so.  Now the Bucs have an viable option at QB if Garcia goes down this year or has to stay out for more than one game.  McCown also gives the team a chance to win.  When was the last time the Bucs had two QBs that were able to win a game for the team?  It has been awhile

Last thought: Did anyone out there think that the top rated passer in New Orleans today both in yards and QB rating would be McCown over Brees?  If you told me that I would have never believed it.

The Bucs have found a viable Back-Up QB.

Couldn’t agree more. It’s about time he saw that Gradkowski is nothing more than an inexpensive third stringer. That’s two years in a row that we have had a capable back-up on the bench and didn’t know it.

It would sure be nice if Luke is ‘that guy!’ I’m not convinced, but fight now, he’s head-and-shoulders above Bruce. Maybe Gradkowski is the #1 QB in the Bucs’ future, maybe Sims, maybe neither. But McCown is certainly the #2 QB of the present.