QB Jeff Garcia was limited during practice for a second consecutive day because of a disconcerting calf injury, coach Jon Gruden said.

Gruden amended his comments from Wednesday, when he said the injury was sustained to Garcia's left calf, not the right calf that sidelined him for weeks during the preseason. Today, Gruden said this injury indeed involves the right calf, though "It's not the same part of the calf," he said.

At this point, the Bucs are making contingency plans for playing Sunday's game at Atlanta without Garcia. If he can't practice on Friday, the chances of him playing Sunday are slim.

"It is a concern," Gruden said. "Hopefully he can get well in the next day or so."

In the meantime, Luke McCown is taking the bulk of the snaps in practice and would be the likely starter is it's decided Garcia cannot play. Brian Griese, who has been trying to recover from shoulder and elbow injuries for the better part of the past two months, is close to a return and might be thrust into action during Friday's practice.

"Luke has been taking a lot of snaps and Brian is going to work himself back in tomorrow," Gruden said. "For the first time, really, in the past couple months we're seeing him throw the ball as well as he is. So, that's a good sign for us."

The most ironic thing about it all is that, according to Gruden, Garcia sustained this injury in the same fashion as the preseason: in individual work during practice.

"It's a strange injury," Gruden said.