Cardinals’ fake punt pass headlines low-scoring 1st half vs. Bucs

Arizona Cardinals punter Andy Lee turned out to be the first player in his 40s to complete a pass Sunday night against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

A fake punt pass to linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill on fourth-and-2 at the Arizona 45-yard line gained four yards to keep the Cardinals’ opening offensive possession alive in the first quarter.

Andy Lee showing off the accuracy on the fake punt! #BirdCityFootball #TBvsAZ on NBC and @peacock.

(Via: @NFL)pic.twitter.com/zrej254MJW

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 26, 2022

Cardinals QB Trace McSorley — making his first NFL start in relief of the injured Colt McCoy — led the offense into the red zone, but a strip sack by edge rusher Anthony Nelson got the ball back in Brady’s hands.

The Arizona defense picked up a stop on fourth-and-1, though, which kept the score at 3-0. The Bucs had second-and-1 from the Cardinals’ 48-yard line and were stuffed three times.

For Lee, the completion was his third in a 19-year career. His latest entering Sunday was in 2020 against the Philadelphia Eagles to linebacker Zeke Turner.

Arizona also executed a successful fake punt pass play last year against the Dallas Cowboys when safety Chris Banjo hit running back Jonathan Ward down the seam.

Lee’s completion on Sunday contributed one of eight first downs for Arizona in the first half.

Neither offense had luck getting in the end zone during the opening 30 minutes, as the game was tied at 6-6 going into the break at State Farm Stadium.

Catch the rest of the game on Arizona Sports 98.7, the Arizona Sports app or arizonasports.com. 

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