Byron Leftwich played like a quarterback who won't be starting very long in Atlanta.

Jeff Garcia threw for two touchdowns, Ronde Barber returned a fumble for another score and the Buccaneers' defense completely stifled the Leftwich-led Falcons 31-7 today, another low for a franchise trying to recover from the Michael Vick debacle.

Atlanta (3-7) had won two straight with Joey Harrington at quarterback and actually had a chance to pull within one game of first place in a division where Tampa Bay (6-4) is the only team with a winning record.

It was a good day all around for Bucs. New Orleans and Carolina both lost as well, dropping to 4-6 and two games behind Tampa Bay with six to play.

In a highly debatable move, first-year Falcons coach Bobby Petrino decided to start Leftwich over Harrington, saying he was still the No. 1 quarterback after missing the last two games recovering from ankle surgery.

Playing behind a short-handed offensive line, Leftwich had one of the worst games in his career, completing 15-of-28 for 106 yards with two interceptions and two fumbles. Harrington took over late in the third quarter, but it didn't matter much by then with Tampa Bay already leading 24-0.

Earnest Graham ran for 102 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown. Garcia didn't have to do much with the defense manhandling the Falcons; he completed 10-of-20 for 159 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown to Joey Galloway that got the Bucs rolling.