Garcia’s career reborn with Eagles

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jeff Garcia had been kicked to the lowest curb of pro football.

A three-time Pro Bowl quarterback with San Francisco earlier in his career, Garcia labored during the last two years in the dregs of the NFL and suffered the indignities of being cast aside by Cleveland and dumped by Detroit.

Those two teams combined to win seven games this season. Garcia, who appeared destined to finish his career as a backup in Philadelphia, turned into one of the feel-good stories of the second half of the 2006 season, reviving his career and leading the Eagles to the NFC East championship.

He just happens to grace the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated.

“Not a bad photo,” Garcia said as the Eagles prepared for Sunday’s NFC first-round game against the New York Giants. “I guess it’s never too late in your career to all of the sudden show up on Sports Illustrated.”

Garcia, 36, was thrust into the starting lineup after Donovan McNabb, the face of the Philadelphia franchise, was lost for the season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Nov. 19.

Garcia lost his first start against Indianapolis 45-21, that dropped the Eagles to 5-6. But since then, he has sparked Philadelphia to five straight wins, a winning streak second only to San Diego’s 10 straight entering the playoffs.

“What really kept me going was that there was always hope for a better situation,” Garcia said. “There was always hope for a better team atmosphere, a better team environment. And fortunately for myself, I was able to land in that sort of position this year here in Philadelphia. I don’t think that I ever lost sight of the fact that I could be a starter.”

Garcia has thrown for 1,309 yards, 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions for 95.8 passer rating.

Had his 188 attempts been enough to qualify for the official passing ratings, he would have finished fourth behind Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning (101.0), Kansas City’s Damon Huard (98.0) and New Orleans’ Drew Brees (96.2). McNabb finished fourth at 95.5.

“He had some big shoes to fill,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. … “You are talking about replacing the MVP of the National Football League. He came in and handled that like a seasoned veteran, but he is also a very good football player and a Pro Bowl-caliber player.”