TAMPA, Fla. — Saying his 1-7 team needs better play at quarterback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith is contemplating going back to starter Josh McCown.

In fact, Smith admitted he considered replacing struggling Mike Glennon with McCown during Sunday’s 22-17 loss at the Cleveland Browns. Glennon had his worst game of the season despite completing 17 of 33 passes for 260 yards and a pair of touchdowns to rookie Mike Evans. But he underthrew the ball twice to Evans, who had gotten behind the defense, and had two interceptions, including one in the red zone.

“Yes, whenever any position is struggling during the course of the game, you look at your options,” Smith said, “but I thought Mike would be able to come out of it.

“The turnovers really hurt us. We need to play better at the quarterback position. I think that kind of goes without saying a little bit.”

Smith said Monday he will evaluate both quarterbacks in practice this week before making a decision. McCown has not played since Week 3 when he suffered a torn ligament in his right thumb in the first half of a 56-14 loss at Atlanta. The Falcons, who haven’t won a game since, visit Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.

Glennon is 1-4 since taking over for McCown, who was relieved to no longer be a career reliever when he signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Bucs in March and immediately was named the starter.

In three starts before his injury, McCown completed 43 of 68 passes for 420 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions, losing all three games. Smith said how McCown and Glennon perform in practice this week will have an impact on his decision.

“It’s always week to week with what we do,” Smith said. “We look at who we think gives us the best opportunity to win this week. Last week, Mike will be the first one to tell you, he’s played a lot better than he played (Sunday) and Josh is healthy and ready to go right now. That’s the strength of the quarterback position that we’ve talked about. Right now we’ll see who’s available. We have a couple days and kind of go from there.”

“How we match up, the play in practice this week. History, also – last time we played, everything comes into play with that. And then it’s just a feel at the end on who gives you the best chance. I know that’s coach talk, but that’s what it always comes down to…who gives us the best chance based on who we’re playing, what type of game, what type of game plan we think we’re going with.”

Even though he had costly turnovers in losses to the Panthers, Rams and Falcons to start the season, some circumstances have changed since McCown’s injury. Evans has quickly developed into a dangerous weapon, giving the Bucs two big outside targets with Vincent Jackson. McCown thrived last season with the Bears throwing the deep ball to receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery.

Quarterbacks coach Marcus Arroyo has more experience as a play-caller since taking over for offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford, who took an indefinite medical leave of absence following a heart procedure.

Finally, the offensive line hasn’t protected a pocket passer like Glennon very well and McCown’s mobility and ability to extend plays with his feet would be a plus.

“As we look back at the play and look back on it, there were a couple of plays that we would like to have back, but I don’t think he did anything to – (McCown) got hurt is what happened,” Smith said. “He’s healthy right now, but Josh McCown is a good quarterback. We can win with him. So that’s kind of where we are right now.”

Glennon was inaccurate from the start of Sunday’s game against the Browns, missing on 10 of his first 18 pass attempts with two interceptions. Needing a touchdown to win with at the two minute warming with one time out and facing second-and-1 on the Browns’ 37-yard line, the Bucs were unable to convert. Vincent Jackson dropped a passs, Glennon misfired on third down, Evans was called for offensive pass interference and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins had no chance on a wayward pass on fourth down to end the game.

Evans finished with a career-high seven catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

“We had a lot of opportunities,” Smith said. “We had good matchups with both our wide receivers yesterday. Accurracy on the ball, some of the decisions we made that led to turnovers. Both of those turnovers should’ve been touchdowns we feel like instead of interceptions putting them in a favorable position.”

Glennon has only won five of his 18 starts with the Bucs. Perhaps more damning, the team has scored fewer than 20 points in 10 of those games