Comedy Of Errors By Brady, Buccaneers As They Blow Lead & Lose To Bengals

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took a comfortable 17-3 lead into halftime against the Cincinnati Bengals. I say comfortable not just because of the score but because the Bucs dominated.

It seemed the Bengals couldn't do anything, especially on offense. But what helps you back into a game? Mistakes by your opponent.

Tom Brady's old team, the New England Patriots, had a disastrous punt against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. His current team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a disaster of a punt of their own.

While the Patriots attempted to actually punt the ball and failed, the Bucs tried to get sneaky with a fake. Leading 17-3 early in the second half, Tampa Bay had a fourth-and-1 from around their own 30-yard-line.

The play call came into the huddle: fake punt. Everyone heard it. Well, everyone except the guy who was supposed to get the ball.

Yikes. That's one of the worst fake punt attempts since ... well, I hate to do it but...

It even has its own Wikipedia page. Seriously. It's called "Colts Catastrophe".

I don't think the Bucs punt will reach that level, but it was bad.

A few Twitter users suggested that Gio Bernard, who fumbled the snap and did not appear ready, did it on purpose. Why? He spent the first eight years of his career with the Bengals. He probably has a lot of friends on that team.

Fortunately for the Buccaneers, the defense stepped up and held Cincinnati to a field goal.

Buccaneers offense shows special teams that they can make mistakes too

However, Tom Brady came out and threw an interception on the ensuing drive.

The Bucs had Cincinnati stopped when Joe Burrow completely lost his mind, but a penalty kept the drive alive.

The Bengals would score on that drive. And Brady wasn't done turning it over. On the NEXT drive, he coughed it up again.

And ... yup.

Bengals take advantage of Buccaneers mistakes and reverse a 17-point deficit.

Bengals take advantage of Buccaneers mistakes and reverse a 17-point deficit. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

ON THE NEXT DRIVE, the Buccaneers turn it over again! You just can't make this stuff up. It was a botched exchange between Brady and running back Leonard Fournette, so the turnover was charged to Brady, his third of the half.

And the Bengals score again.

To recap: Bucs lead 17-3 and get the ball to start the second half. They decided to fake a punt. It fails. Tom Brady throws an interception. Tom Brady fumbles. Bengals take the lead. Brady fumbles again. Bengals extend the lead to 27-17.

UPDATE: Literally right as we posted this, Brady threw ANOTHER interception. It was his fourth turnover. The Bengals then scored another touchdown.

UPDATED UPDATE: Complete disaster of a second half for the Bucs, who lost the game, 34-23.

Could be worse, though. They could be the Colts.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.