Preseason is the time for every NFL team to work out the kinks, even a team that was as well-oiled as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. The Bucs had a pretty embarrassing mistake in their first game over the weekend.
During the team’s Saturday game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa tried to line up for a fake on an extra point attempt. The team told the officials that they would go for two, which meant lining up at the two-yard line.
Holder Bradley Pinion and kicker Ryan Succop went out at quarterback and running back, respectively. The Bengals defense lined up appropriately, and the Buccaneers audibled to an extra point, which Succop knocked through with ease.
The one problem: extra points are no longer taken that close to the goal line. A few seasons ago, the NFL moved them back to the 15-yard line, so obviously the attempt was not valid. Teams that elect to go for two from the two-yard line cannot kick the ball after the decision is made, per the fairly new rules.
The Buccaneers just made an extra point from the 2 yard line. It was good.
Except you don’t take extra points from the 2 anymore. It didn’t count.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) August 15, 2021
“We had really bad communication on the faked extra point,” head coach Bruce Arians said afterwards, via the Tampa Bay Times. “The kicker didn’t know the rule.
“You can’t line back up and kick it. You don’t get a point for it. Evidently, it wasn’t communicated well enough that you can’t do that, so that’s on me.”
It wasn’t a great look for the defending Super Bowl champions, but that is what preseason is for. At the very least, Succop and the extra point unit probably isn’t making that mistake again.
The Buccaneers fell to the Bengals 19-14. They’re back in action on Saturday, at home against the Tennessee Titans.
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