Jeff Garcia will start at quarterback for the Detroit Lions on Sunday against Minnesota. Dick Jauron made the announcement Wednesday, two days after taking over as Lions coach on an interim basis in place of the fired Steve Mariucci. Jauron also said cornerback Dre' Bly apologized to his teammates at a meeting Wednesday morning. Bly was harshly critical of quarterback Joey Harrington and the team's management during media interviews Monday and Tuesday. "If we'd had production on offense, in particular the quarterback position, Mooch wouldn't have been fired," Bly told the Detroit Free Press earlier in the week. "If Jeff Garcia hadn't gotten hurt, we wouldn't be in this position today. Mooch wouldn't have gotten fired."

Cornerback Dre' Bly and quarterback Jeff Garcia both thought the blame for the team's poor record shouldn't have rested on the now ex-coach. "If we'd had production on offense, in particular the quarterback position, Mooch wouldn't have been fired," Bly told the Detroit Free Press. "If Jeff Garcia hadn't gotten hurt, we wouldn't be in this position today. Mooch wouldn't have gotten fired." Garcia missed the first five games after breaking his leg in the final preseason game. He started twice -- winning in Cleveland and losing to Chicago -- but then missed the Minnesota, Arizona and Dallas games with soreness in the leg. "We're all at fault, but I just feel like Joey [Harrington]'s been here four years, and being the No. 3 pick in the draft, he hasn't given us anything," Bly told the paper. "He hasn't given us what the third pick in the draft should give us." Garcia, who played for Mariucci in San Francisco, pointed to the Lions front office. "You start to question whether the organization has the people in place who can go about making the proper selections," Garcia told WXYT-AM, according to the paper. "You really have to question that."

The disappointing Detroit Lions fired coach Steve Mariucci and some of his assistants on Monday. After Detroit lost 27-7 to the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving to fall to 4-7, reports swirled that the team was considering firing Mariucci. When Mariucci was not let go over the weekend, some thought his job was safe for the final five games of the regular season. Mariucci and the assistants, tight ends coach coach Andy Sugarman and OL coach Pat Morris, were fired late Monday morning. The Lions have lost four of five games since a solid start put them atop the NFC North with the Chicago Bears. The team has collapsed on and off the field with players failing to produce and some bickering with one another and questioning the coaches' game plans. Mariucci's record with the Lions was 15-28. His hiring was hailed by fans and media alike, but he was not able to turn around a team that has won one playoff game since 1957. Mariucci has more than two years remaining on the $25 million contract he signed in 2003. The Michigan native came to the Lions from San Francisco, where he was 60-43 over six seasons.

Steve Mariucci remains the Detroit Lions' coach. While Detroit media reported that the team might fire Mariucci the day after a 27-7 home loss to Atlanta on national television, a decision is not likely Friday, ESPN's John Clayton reported. Team sources told Clayton that the Ford family, which owns the team, is in Florida. Players were in for an hour for routine film review, then were released until Monday. Mariucci and team president Matt Millen met, but not in an official situation, merely a regular day-after-game meeting. "Nothing's happening today. Reports of a power confab are unfounded," a team public relations representative said. The Detroit Free Press and on WJBK-TV in Detroit reported late Thursday that the Lions were in discussions that could lead to the firing of Mariucci as early as Friday. After two and a half disappointing years with Mariucci at the helm, the loss to the Falcons on Thanksgiving may have been the final straw. "I don't know what's going to happen or anything like that, but nobody's stupid in here," offensive lineman Damien Woody told the Free Press. "People know that, hey, things didn't go right. It was a pretty bad loss on national television. We'll see what happens."

Lions coach Steve Mariucci's days might be numbered following a 27-7 Thanksgiving loss to Atlanta -- a game players called "ugly" and "embarrassing." Team president Matt Millen declined to comment Thursday on whether Mariucci's firing was imminent or whether there would be a meeting soon to discuss Mariucci's future. But Mariucci accepted responsibility for the state of the team -- all but officially out of the playoff race at 4-7 -- and players openly wondered what was next. "I don't know what's going to happen or anything like that, but nobody's stupid in here," offensive lineman Damien Woody said. "People know that, hey, things didn't go right. It was a pretty bad loss on national television. We'll see what happens." Asked if he would be surprised if Mariucci were fired, offensive lineman Jeff Backus said: "Nothing would surprise me, to be honest. I don't know what's going to happen, if anything at all. But if something does, if something doesn't, I'm still going to play hard, give everything I've got."

The Detroit Lions filed a grievance against wide receiver Charles Rogers, who played his second game Sunday since returning from a suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. League sources told the Detroit Free Press the Lions are trying to recoup more than $10 million because of his violation of the substance abuse policy. Team spokesman Bill Keenist acknowledged the grievance after the Lions' 20-7 loss at Dallas, but refused to give more details. "Due to the personal nature of contracts, we will not comment any further," Keenist said.

Joey Harrington lost his starting quarterback spot with the Detroit Lions because of inconsistency. He could regain it because of injury. Backup quarterback Jeff Garcia, who replaced Harrington in the lineup two weeks ago and has fashioned a 1-1 mark, was battered in Sunday's overtime defeat to the Chicago Bears, and his availability for this week's game against the Minnesota Vikings will not be known until later in the week. Garcia, who returned to the field only 8? weeks after he suffered a broken left fibula and sprained ankle in the preseason, was limping Sunday and acknowledged Monday his status for this week is uncertain. The Lions, who at 3-4 are just one game behind the Bears in the woeful NFC North, will begin on-field preparations for the Sunday matchup at Minnesota on Wednesday. Garcia said that he feels he needs two practices, meaning getting on the field by Thursday, to be able to start against the Vikings, who will start backup Brad Johnson. "If I can't be out there Thursday, it's best for the guy who's taking the snaps to be out there on Sunday," Garcia said. "I feel like getting two good, solid days of practice is important for me to feel comfortable with what I need to do."