Aaron Rodgers takes credit for failed Bucs 2-point conversion, puts Tampa video board operator on blast
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost following a critical delay-of-game penalty on Sunday.
Aaron Rodgers would like for you to know that he — and the Bucs video board operator — played a role in the failure of the play.
Rodgers' Green Bay Packers escaped Tampa with a 14-12 victory that was iced when the Bucs failed to convert on a 2-point effort in the game's final seconds. Tampa Bay set up the conversion with a touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Russell Gage with 14 seconds remaining.
Instead of a standard two-yard effort, the Bucs were forced to attempt the conversion from the seven-yard line after failing to get the play off in time. They appeared to have a walk-in score lined up for Leonard Fournette if not for the penalty.
The attempt from the 7-yard line failed when Brady forced an incomplete pass into a crowded Packers secondary. The Packers won the game. Afterward, Rodgers said that he saw something on the video board along with taking a shot at the home video board operator.
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What does this mean? pic.twitter.com/DqOaTo2go8— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 25, 2022
"They should've on the previous play too, it was a delay on both plays," Rodgers said. "Sometimes you see things in a game. Sometimes the Jumbotron shows things they probably shouldn't show, even at home. I just saw something, I just passed on the information."
Here's the touchdown play in question. The clock hit zero a beat before the ball was snapped.
Brady. Gage. Touchdown, @Buccaneers!
📺: #GBvsTB on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/9MztVgimte pic.twitter.com/N9Km4yq6jJ— NFL (@NFL) September 25, 2022
By the book, it was certainly a delay. It's one one that's sometimes called and sometimes not in the NFL. The delay on the two-point conversion was of a similar nature — and it did get called. Brady declined to make excuses after the game, blaming the miscue and others on poor execution.
#Bucs QB Tom Brady on the delay of game on the 2-point conversation and the offense’s struggles. pic.twitter.com/3XA0UTiBVL
— PewterReport (@PewterReport) September 26, 2022
"We needed good execution, and we didn't get it," Brady told reporters. "There was a lot of other times where we had other bad execution. I think the reality is when you do that, you don't have the opportunity to score points."
Whether or not Rodgers played an impact on the failure of the play, Brady is right. The Bucs executed poorly and put themselves in a position to draw a flag on consecutive critical plays. And it cost them a chance to win the game.