Buccaneer Quarterback Controversy In The Making?

"They talk about him as the quarterback of the future. After what I've seen, I'm not so sure he shouldn't be the quarterback of the present."

former Tampa Bay Buccaneer John Lynch on Josh Freeman

The Tampa Bay Buccaneer ship sailed out of Jacksonville Saturday night with a nail-biter 24-23 preseason victory over the Jaguars. But it wasn't that game that has folks talking all over Tampa, it's the decision that young head coach Raheem Morris has promised he will make this week.

It's the promise of a starting quarterback for his football team.

It may not matter if it's the veteran, Byron Leftwich, the athletic Luke McCown or the youngster who would-be-king, Josh Freeman. What Morris is likely to end up with this season is a bonafide, dyed-in-the-wool quarterback controversy.

For Morris, it may be a no-win situation, at best.

There was large "It's Leftwich" contingent going into Saturday night, including Tampa Tribune columnist Martin Fennelly who openly declared there was never a contest, it's been Leftwich all along.

Then McCown threw a wrench into the Leftwich machinery Saturday night with a pair of touchdown passes in the red zone to Jerramy Stevens and the spunky find-of-the-draft, the amazing Sammie Stroughter.

Then there was Johnny Lynch, yes that Johnny Lynch, beloved Buccaneer, he of the big hits, now Baron of the broadcast booth.

Lynch lowered his pads and laid another huge hit, this time on Raheem and his decision-making process. His quote at the top of this story came at the top on the Saturday broadcast.

And Freeman backed Johnny up with a cracker-jack performance that included a 28-yard touchdown run, leaving most Buccaneer fans giddy and saying to themselves, "He's really fast for a guy his size, isn't he?"

Not sure that Leftwich ever had a dream where he ran that far for a score.

Sure, Leftwich was somewhat effective in the first quarter but with him under center, the offense would stall long before it reached the red zone.

McCown came into the game in the second quarter and this time he was the beneficiary of good field position, the way Leftwich was in the first game in Tennessee.

McCown made good choices, looked confident. He connected with Stevens for 17 and Stroughter for nine, two nice TD passes. In all, 6-of-9 for 51 yards and the two scores.

Leftwich went 6-of-12 for 63, Freeman, 3-of-5 for 47 and that exciting TD run. Freeman is the most talented of the three, has the best throwing motion, best arm, best feet and strongest arm.

Yes, Morris got his first win as a head coach.

Now comes the hard part.

Perhaps WFLA's Dan Lucas might have been just a little over-dramatic when he talked about the quarterback race and the decision in front of Morris and called it:

"A decision that could define his (Morris') coaching career."

This decision will not define Morris coaching career, but it is simply the first of many hard choices the young head coach will make.

And depending on how those first one, two or three regular season games go, Raheem Morris could indeed end up with a major quarterback controversy.

No doubt, there are those who favor Leftwich, those who favor McCown.

And then there's Johnny Lynch and his vote for Freeman.

And as it was in his heyday and still is today:

When Lynch talks, people listen.