Before Sunday’s game against Arizona, everyone wondered if Coach
Dennis Erickson made the right decision to start quarterback Jeff
Garcia for a second straight week instead of backup Tim Rattay.
Before Sunday’s game against Arizona, everyone wondered if Coach Dennis Erickson made the right decision to start quarterback Jeff Garcia for a second straight week instead of backup Tim Rattay.
After Sunday’s 50-14 home win over the Cardinals, there was no question that Garcia deserved the start and he still has what it takes to lead the Niners. The garlic-bred slinger passed for four touchdowns, tying a career high, and rushed for two more, finishing with a six-TD day for the first time in his NFL career.
One week removed from throwing four interceptions in a disastrous 44-6 road loss to Baltimore – that put his good name and ability in question – the three-time Pro Bowler was superb, completing 19-of-28 for 252 yards.
Maybe it was the beautiful Sunday sunshine that brought out the best in Garcia, or maybe it was the fact that the Niners were playing a 3-10 Cardinal team that has lost 12 straight road games. (But the same Arizona unit that has quality wins over the Niners and the Green Bay Packers this year.)
I for one would like to believe that it was Garcia playing healthy for the first time this year since suffering a herniated disc early on and a high-ankle sprain that ended his 61-game starting streak.
The Niners scored on five of their seven first-half possessions and looked like the same explosive team that rolled over the Chicago Bears in week-one, 49-7.
Garcia went to work on the opening drive – completing passes of 21 and 26 to tight end Jed Weaver as well as a 12-yarder to receiver Terrell Owens before selling out and diving for the pylon on his three-yard TD scamper.
After the 49ers’ second drive stalled at the Arizona 42-yard line, Garcia orchestrated another touchdown drive on the team’s third possession – capped off by a one-yard TD toss to Owens for a 14-0 lead. With the defense holding strong, Garcia then hit Owens on back-to-back passes of 12 and 32 yards. His next pass was an 18-yard TD hurl to receiver Tai Streets for a 21-0 advantage.
By the end of the first half, Garcia’s starting spot could not have been more cemented as he hooked up with receiver Brandon Lloyd for a 27-yard touchdown and then another one-yard TD toss to Owens.
Before exiting the game in the second half, Garcia took part in his sixth score by legging out a four-yard touchdown run.
I hope there will be no more talk about whether Garcia’s still got it. He does. He never lost it. He just needed time to heal and then one game to get his feel back.
The 49ers’ problems do not lie at the quarterback position. If anything, Garcia’s absence allowed Rattay to prove that he is a valuable asset to the team as well and that if Garcia goes down again, he can jump right in. The Niners now have proven depth at quarterback, something no one was sure of until this season.
I won’t say that I never had a doubt, because that’s not true. I don’t blame anyone for doubting Garcia. But unless the Niners have another superstar quarterback in mind for next season, Garcia should be back. Otherwise, it could be a similar situation to the release of former head coach Steve Mariucci with no immediate replacement in mind.
At 6-7, the Niners are still in the wild card hunt – needing wins over Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Seattle to have a chance.
Now I don’t know about you, but if I was going into battle with the odds stacked against my team and the season on the line, I would want a guy like Garcia leading me.
Scott Forstner, a native New Yorker, is the sports editor for The Dispatch. To comment on his column, please e-mail him at [email protected]..
