Rough day for Culpepper; Vikings routed by Buccaneers.

Byline: Sean Jensen

TAMPA, Fla. _ Eight games into the season, Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper finally committed rookie mistakes.

He fumbled on the first drive of the game to give the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense the ball at the Vikings' 14-yard line. He threw the pass intended for wide receiver Cris Carter that wound up instead in the arms of linebacker Derrick Brooks, who returned the interception 34 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.

And when the carnage was complete Sunday and the cannon on the pirate ship at Raymond James Stadium had been emptied of celebratory beads and confetti, he suffered the frustration of a 41-13 loss.

"A couple of times I tried to make some things happen when it really wasn't there, and that's when you get yourself in bad positions," said Culpepper, who completed 29 of 53 …