Dave Canales > Byron Leftwich
December 29th, 2023
Fail.
Joe could sit here all morning and explain why Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales is better than his predecessor Byron Leftwich.
You could start with communication and end with squeezing the most out of your talent. Joe will use Mike Evans to highlight the difference.
Joe remembers in training camp that Evans, a future Hall of Fame receiver, said he was running routes he’d never run before at 30 years old.
Through 15 games, Evans is two touchdowns from his career-best in a season. He’s also 159 yards from having his second-best receiving yards total for a season; and he’s 14 catches away from his second-highest number of catches in a season.
Timo Riske of the PFF tribe explains Canales’ idea of using Evans and Leftwich’s idea of using Evans are about as different as Bromosa and Coyote Ugly.
This is what Joe calls coaching. Take a talented receiver like Evans and find ways to get him open and create matchups favorable to your star. Then, allow him to do his thing.
As a result, Evans, at 30, when most dudes are way past their prime, is having one of the best seasons of his Hall of Fame career.
And the Bucs are one game from an unprecedented third straight NFC South crown.
Updating our graph on WR separation and catchpoint+YAC grade. pic.twitter.com/3BERuRBl6S
— Jrfortgang (@throwthedamball) December 27, 2023
December 29th, 2023 at 4:10 am
Mike Evans =Stud
December 29th, 2023 at 5:20 am
@obvious
Bump
Tampa Bay Bucs, Head Coach Mike Evans sounds amazing some day in the future.
December 29th, 2023 at 6:39 am
Ham sandwich > Byron Leftwich
December 29th, 2023 at 6:40 am
I wasn’t a ME fan the first couple years he was here but since then he has totally changed my mind. He is still a playmaker and I hope we end up resigning him. I hate watching former BUCS succeed at other ball clubs. Leftwich was a horrible coach
December 29th, 2023 at 6:43 am
Sounds like backyard football. Evans, just go deep
December 29th, 2023 at 7:09 am
If Bucs make playoffs -> “Baker Mayfield > Tom Brady” <- Joe
December 29th, 2023 at 7:12 am
If Bucs lose their playoff opener Baker will be 1-2 in the playoffs, worse than Tim Tebow’s 1-1 playoff record. Will Tim > Baker?
December 29th, 2023 at 7:33 am
to rock a flat brim vs. not to rock a flat brim
#ThatIsTheQuestion
December 29th, 2023 at 7:52 am
Hey…… he do what he do.
December 29th, 2023 at 7:57 am
I don’t think there’s any question that Leftwich was far better. Just look at their resumes. We can’t just pretend that Leftwich didn’t oversee offenses that averaged 30 points per game between 2019-2021. Sure, 2022 was a disaster but how much of that was from Leftwich forgetting how to call plays and how much of it was from being stuck with an unbenchable QB that didn’t want to be here and regularly audibled into low risk smokescreen plays 10 plus times a game, checked down extremely prematurely, and refused to challenge defenses down the field for the first three quarters of every game? I’m not saying that Canales won’t be better, but a month ago he still looked like he was clearly over his head calling and designing plays. I think the biggest difference is under center. Put Brady of 2022 at QB and this team is 2-13 at this point. I’m no Mayfield fan but he’s done a lot to keep this team in games and cover up the bad play calling from earlier in the season.
December 29th, 2023 at 8:09 am
Moldy crusty month-old bread > Flat Brim…
December 29th, 2023 at 8:12 am
I think that was more of a Brady preference than a Leftwich issue. Brady seemed to prefer smaller quicker YAC type WR like AB and even Godwin over Evans style.
I don’t feel like looking it up but would be curious to know Evans numbers during Jameis’final year in Tampa with Leftwich as OC.
December 29th, 2023 at 8:46 am
Byron was clueless. He will never coach again at the NFL level. Maybe Illinois will take him. They love trash coaches there.
December 29th, 2023 at 8:53 am
For two years with our incredible O line + Gronk,, our offense was “run around for a while and Brady will hit you”
December 29th, 2023 at 9:17 am
Thanks @Brandon for your Brady critique. I agree and will add Methuselah was pass his expiration date. How long have Leftwich and Canales been OCs? I really hate running up the middle on first down. That’s on Leftwich. After that, jury’s out on Canales. Let the season end first. Go Bucs!!
December 29th, 2023 at 9:22 am
I know Leftwich is too easy of a punching bag to keep going back to, but he really, really earned it by pairing idiocy with sheer arrogance. I would go so far as to say an outright vacancy at offensive coordinator would have been an improvement over Leftwich. So, so glad he’s in the rear view mirror.
December 29th, 2023 at 9:30 am
Brandon — I couldnt disagree with you more. Bruce Arians had heavy input on the offense and at the end of the day offense was what Arians was known for. The very second BA stepped away the thing fell apart and Leftwhich seemed to have no answers.
Sure Brady had a divorce going on but even still.
December 29th, 2023 at 9:38 am
Chicken Salad-Chicken $hit
December 29th, 2023 at 9:48 am
Brandon I could not agree more. Facts matter and the fact is BL’s offense’s averaged 30 pts a game when he had an interested/engaged QB. Even with Jamies. The experts on this site think they no more about NFL offense than a Superbowl winning OC. BL is a good OC if you look at his career stats and not just last year.
December 29th, 2023 at 9:52 am
I love how when the offense was good is was because of Arians or Brady when it’s bad it’s all because of Leftwich
December 29th, 2023 at 10:12 am
Sorry Joe, but I just had to jump in on this one. I still contend that Leftnut was B.A.’s sock puppet. What short memories the fans have. What happened to this team was pure sabotage. Orlbucfan has it right. Brady was indeed past his expiration date. When he didn’t retire after the SB it upset the apple cart but what happened after that was almost but not unbelievable. It appears to me that there was an internal war going on in the front office and BA and Leftnut threw a major temper tantrum when things didn’t go their way. The evidence is this; Leftwich and Arians seem to have fallen off the planet. Why isn’t a SB winning OC working somewhere? Why isn’t a SB winning HC not back on TV like he was before?
December 29th, 2023 at 10:14 am
@ Brandon – your analysis is thought provoking but I see two potential flaws in your reasoning. 1. Did Leftnut really run this offense 2019-2021 or was it Arians? 2. Can you back up your claim about audibles and check downs? Are there any stat geeks that keep such statistics? And if so, how accurate can they be?
December 29th, 2023 at 10:31 am
Brandon- I agree with Doolnuts. Arians certainly helped Byron a lot. You can’t tell me that 2021 Brady was that much different from 2022. Still a slow mover, adverse to getting hit.
I doubt we will ever know who is to blame. I was all over Leftwich last year, wanted him fired before the Steelers game but as the year ended I started to wonder how much Tom was to blame. Leftwich was probably blamed more than he should have been. What was Bowles role in the overall game plan and how did it affect Byron and Tom? Can ask the same question this year, what is Bowles role alongside Canales? I would love to know who has autonomy around there and who did the last couple years.
Fact is, this offense is better than last years. Perhaps slight upgrade overall at tackle but the IOL is no better. Mobile Baker clearly helps. We care about on field results but Dave off the field is in another league than Byron, upbeat and articulate, not dancing around questions calling them stupid fantasy football questions. That’s not just for the media, players will respond much better to Dave and I think we are seeing that play out right now.
December 29th, 2023 at 10:33 am
The first time Canales said he did half time adjustments I knew he was much better than Leftie.
December 29th, 2023 at 10:33 am
By keeping BA under contract as a consultant he could be controlled. Just exactly what sort of consulting does he do ? I think he admitted to not being involved in the draft. What sort of consulting did the Glazers and Jason Licht need ? None, in my opinion. I think the consulting job was just a VERY short leash around his neck. Leftwich disappeared after the word was put out.
December 29th, 2023 at 11:07 am
One area where I happily stand corrected on is that I used to say that the very reason why Mike Evans isn’t talked about with the Jeffersons, Chase and Adams of the world is because of Mike Evans limited route tree and that is why his targets and volume is lower. Strictly intermediate to deep routes because even though he has really good long speed, he doesnt possess the short area quickness right? WRONG. Boy was a wrong. Look, doesn’t mean I didnt love the guy. Grossly underrated regardless. His career yards per catch should be celebrated more, and even though he still doesnt get 8 catches a game like a few guys, he is still able to get more YARDS than most people with 20 catches more. It is very unfortunate that he hasnt been used more creatively up until this point. Great great player, even better person
December 29th, 2023 at 11:10 am
Regardless of who was responsible Brandon, the NFL is a what have you done for me lately league and Canales has an offense moving in an upward trajectory while Lefty last orchestrated the worst offensive offense that the free world has ever known and honestly I would be embarrassed to even try to argue anything else Sir.
December 29th, 2023 at 12:47 pm
Duh, most of the fans on this website could have called a better game then leftnut
December 29th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
Canales >>> Leftwurst
Canales > Bowles
December 29th, 2023 at 3:52 pm
Lol at all the Bucs fans who now suddenly hate Brady.
He wasn’t mobile. Duh. So if your o-line is suspect, which it was, your job as an offensive coordinator is to modify the scheme to hide these weaknesses. Leftwich couldnt do that, which is why he was a FAILURE of an OC once Arians was no longer holding his hand.
This year our o-line is better, and so is our run game (albeit marginally).
December 29th, 2023 at 3:55 pm
Look no further than the Steelers game. Pittsburg was missing their top 3 corners and the best pass rusher in the league.
So what does Byron do? Attack their pass defense? Nope. Runs it up the gut against their stout run defense all game, like a moron. Leftwich sucked. As a QB and as a OC.
December 29th, 2023 at 4:48 pm
Yup. Most irresponsible gameplan Joe ever saw.
FYI, where’s Leftwich working these days? Notre Dame went with their third option (TE coach) for a new OC (who Notre Dame just fired). Lefty tried to get a job with the Steelers and they wouldn’t return his calls.
Good coaches looking for work don’t often have to look very long.
December 29th, 2023 at 5:26 pm
I hated Methuselah12 when he showed up. This relic had already won every NFL honor known to god and man. Bucs fans had to go through all the BS with the cap and bringing back Grontkowski and nutcase Antonio Brown. That was cos that’s what Brady wanted. Fhim! We didn’t need ANY of them. All we needed was a QB who did not turn over the ball every 30 seconds! This team is proving it. We’re already headed for 10-7. I. willl be watching us kick some major Cajun ass and enjoying every minute of it!! Go Bucs!!
December 29th, 2023 at 9:47 pm
@Joe – exactly! He’s just not a good coach.
@orlbucfan – yes your hatred of Brady is well documented. Bucs fans had to go through the “BS” of having the greatest QB to ever play, along with the greatest TE to ever play, come to our woebegone laughing stock of a franchise and help us win a Super Bowl win?!? Oh the horror! lol
Of course we needed them! What a bizarre viewpoint that simply is not based in reality.
December 29th, 2023 at 11:49 pm
“Brandon Says:
December 29th, 2023 at 7:57 am
I don’t think there’s any question that Leftwich was far better. Just look at their resumes. We can’t just pretend that Leftwich didn’t oversee offenses that averaged 30 points per game between 2019-2021. ”
GTFO….
You can also pretend that Arians didn’t actually run the offense from 2019-2022, and that 2022 (without Arians) Leftwich was exposed as the fraud he is. The same clueless buffoon he was in Arizona under Wilks.
He can’t even get a job, anywhere. He’ll need to find a new career because Arians is retired and it appears no one else will be dumb enough to hire him.
December 30th, 2023 at 12:29 am
Interesting stats below for the morons in this web page site!!! Geeze it is embarrassing how stupid bucs fans are!!!
Leftwich as OC for the Buccaneers’ offense playing an integral role in Tampa Bay’s 2020 Super Bowl season. During his first two seasons with Brady as his quarterback, Leftwich guided a Buccaneers offense that was top-three in the NFL in scoring and either first or second in the league in passing yards. The big stat that canales will never have with Toilet Bowl and the Bucs is a superbowl no matter how many article Joe writes about how great Mayfield and toilet bowl is!!!! What changed in 2022?
December 30th, 2023 at 1:40 am
That brings the question to me of …are we running those go routes with anyone now? I am thinking we should be running some with Palmer. But that’s just me. 4.33 forty to Millers 4.20
Scotty Miller has made a career off of them. Not a talented reciever. but fast enough to keep defenses honest on a few receptions every year. That means a few less double coverage snaps for Mike.
Again just me thinking.
Go Bucs!
December 30th, 2023 at 12:37 pm
@garro – Palmer has a few times, and Evans is still running them too. Just not as often.
December 30th, 2023 at 1:12 pm
I’ve been watching these post since baker signing with the bucs I have followed baker from day 1,may I say I am very happy u guys on this site have surprised me,we r finally hearing positive post on our qb 1 & more real negitive talk about that friggin cheat brady once a cheat always a cheat cheaters don’t deserve to keep the prize
December 30th, 2023 at 1:56 pm
Ryan Jensen was a force to be reckoned with period. That was the biggest difference regarding the offensive output. Evans should be a Buc for life. Resign him! This franchise needs for its history! Leftwich’s biggest weakness was his inability to make necessary adjustments during the games/season. Canales has learned from Leftwich’s mistakes (slowly unfortunately) to make adjustments during the season. It’s also nice to see Mayfield run when he needs to compared to Brady’s inability to extend plays. This team has fire bigtime!!! Hopefully the GM can keep the correct/needed players around. Go Bucs!!!