ALLEN PARK, Mich. (Nov. 10, 2005) -- Joey Harrington is getting one more chance to prove himself worthy of being the starting quarterback for the Detroit Lions.
With Jeff Garcia still having problems with the leg he broke during the preseason, Lions coach Steve Mariucci said Harrington will start Nov. 13 against the Arizona Cardinals.
"We are about where we were last week," Mariucci said. "Joey will start, because he's been the one taking the snaps in practice.
"Jeff is getting a little better, and we'll have to make a decision as to whether or not he could go in if we needed him. If we think he can, he'll be No. 2. Otherwise he'll be third."
Harrington started the first five games, going 2-3. Garcia won in Cleveland, then lost to Chicago, but his ailing leg prevented him from playing Nov. 6 in a loss at Minnesota.
Mariucci has said Garcia will regain the job when he gets healthy, but Harrington wants to put some doubt in his coach's mind.
"Of course I want to make the decision harder on him," Harrington said. "But the only way I can do that is by winning. If I throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns and we still lose, it won't matter. Winning is the only thing that matters."
Mariucci sounded like Harrington might have a chance to keep the job.
"Joey's practicing pretty well," he said. "He's doing everything in his power to help us win, so we will just take things week-by-week."
Harrington is hoping that two of his biggest weapons will return -- wideouts Roy Williams and Charles Rogers.
"I'm as excited as anyone about having them back," he said. "They can only help us, because right now we aren't throwing the ball well and we aren't running the ball well."
Williams has missed most of the past four games with a pulled quadriceps muscle, while Rogers sat out four games on a drug suspension, then was left home last week after a poor week of practice.
"Chuck is doing a nice job this week," Mariucci said. "Roy's looking better. He probably got 40-50 percent of the snaps today."
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