It was over when ...
Jeff Garcia threw a 44-yard touchdown bomb to the ageless Joey Galloway to give Tampa Bay a 7-0 lead. The rest of the Bucs' points were merely cosmetic, given the scuffling Falcons offense.
Game balls
Running back Earnest Graham had his second straight 100-yard rushing day, the first two of his career, and his fourth-quarter touchdown wrapped up the scoring for Tampa Bay. Defensively for the Bucs, Chris Hovan takes the honor with an all-around game that included four tackles, a sack and an interception.
Key stat
The Falcons turned to Byron Leftwich at quarterback in place of Joey Harrington and the move did not work out the way coach Bobby Petrino had hoped. Leftwich accounted for four turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions) and failed to lead his team into the red zone even once.
Noteworthy
Falcons defensive tackle Trey Lewis left the game in the first quarter with a knee sprain. ... There was a bizarre sequence of events in the second quarter. Falcons receiver Roddy White fumbled after making a catch and the Bucs' Brian Kelly recovered the ball. He attempted to run it back but was stopped and lateraled it to Cato June. June then fumbled the ball and Atlanta recovered it to get a first down on change of possession. Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden challenged that Kelly was down by contact before he latereled it, and lost the challenge. However, replays seemed to show that had he challenged June was down by contact instead of Kelly, he would've won the replay and the Bucs would have kept the ball. ... Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber scored his 11th career touchdown off a return of a fumble.
