When Doubt Crept In
December 29th, 2023
A month ago things looked bleak for the Bucs and their coaches.
The Bucs ended November at 4-7. The offense was sputtering, averaging 19 points a game. Bucs coach Todd Bowles was on the hot seat. Even Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales frankly admitted he had “honest conversations” with his family about what could happen on Black Monday.
Now? The Bucs offense is alive. The Bucs are on a four-game winning streak, one win from a division title, two wins from a 10-win season.
Sober people have even mentioned Bowles as a Coach of the Year candidate.
So yesterday, Canales was asked if doubt crept into his head when the Bucs and his offense were at their lowest.
“Absolutely. Absolutely. I’m human,” Canales said. “For me, I didn’t have a choice but to continue to believe. I didn’t have a choice but to say, ‘This is what I know.’
“Again, I’ve talked about some of the veteran coaches: coach [Nick] Rapone, coach [Kevin] Ross on the defensive side – Todd [Bowles], of course. I’ve got a bunch of experience on our side [and] Keith Armstrong. These guys who have been through it all – they’ve been at the highest of heights. All of these guys have Super Bowl rings, and they’ve been on some really rough teams, too.
“The consistent part of it is, ‘You don’t change. You continue to be about the fundamentals, about the ball, about eliminating those pre-snap penalties. About all the simple basic things.’”
How basic did it get for Canales? He admitted his goal was not to stack wins but to stack practices. Have a good practice on Wednesday. Follow that up with a good practice on Thursday. Good practices should lead to better play on gamedays. That’s how basic Canales got.
Pretty soon, his players noticed improvement little by little and their confidence grew. Then along came the wins.
Tough times this season only made Canales more determined to show himself, he said, prove to Bowles and Bucs fans that he knew how to build a quality offense.
Now, Canales is one win from calling a playoff game.
December 29th, 2023 at 7:43 am
come on dave…light up the saints this week for 30…
be aggressive and put the nail in the coffin on this team…
and be careful…a couple years back they were playing super dirty at ray jay and tried to take out a lot of our players…
(i.e. CG14)
December 29th, 2023 at 8:00 am
Adam… the Saints took out Godwin due to a Brady pass that was low and behind him. Brady ran Chris into that injury.
December 29th, 2023 at 8:08 am
Let’s see how the season pans out before annointing anyone even with keeping their job (which I do believe will happen.)
December 29th, 2023 at 8:12 am
Sweep the stinking Stainks.
December 29th, 2023 at 8:14 am
Love the honesty. It had to be especially trying times for him and his family. He’s young and hasn’t been an OC for long to make the bug bucks and be financially secure. I’m sure he would have landed on his feet somewhere but this may have been his last chance to be a coordinator. When they were on the ropes in that Falcon game I can only imagine the stress level. Him and Bowles were dead men walking if they had lost. Hopefully they both got Baker a very nice Xmas present because he saved both their careers with that great TD pass at the end of that game.
December 29th, 2023 at 8:30 am
I’m happy that coordinators do press conferences. Todd Monkin gave us good stuff when Koetter didn’t. Koetter gave us great stuff when Lovie wouldn’t. Coordinators’ guards don’t seem to be up as high as HC’s. Maybe not as jaded yet??
December 29th, 2023 at 8:55 am
Bowels must of told Dave, “I don’t have a clue on how to turn things around. You can start calling YOUR plays & we will see what happens”.
December 29th, 2023 at 9:18 am
When the Saints had a bounty on opposing plays with Payton’s blessing, they gave Payton a slap on the wrist with a one-year suspension. Roger Goodell showed his true colors. Payton should have been banned from the NFL for LIFE.
The NFL is all about MONEY – endorsing Gambling, tolerating poor refereeing play calls and defending them.
The Bucs are refreshing to watch now. Todd and David stuck to the guns in their commitment to doing what they believed even when things looked bad during the middle of the season. It takes men of courage to commit to what they believe in.
December 29th, 2023 at 9:22 am
They DID stick to the plan, but they ALSO moved Godwin back to slot, swapped in Stinnie, swapped in YaYa
December 29th, 2023 at 9:23 am
Hey Ya Ya.. ” I’m sure he would have landed on his feet somewhere but this may have been his last chance to be a coordinator.”
OC Canales was a WR coach x4 QB coach x2 Passing Game coordinator x 2 Offensive Quality control x2 with HC Pete Carrol and the Seattle Seahawks, Before the NFL he was a strength and conditioning coach as well as Offensive quality control coach with Pete Carrol at USC… I think OC Canales is doing fine in his financial matters.. He has been a big part and watched and helped create some very good Offensive teams in his time in Seattle. I look forward to his own professional growth and self-reflection after this season and I hope he continues to create a Monster Offense here in Tampa Bay!
GO!!!!!CANALES!!!!!
GO!!!!!BUCS!!!!!
December 29th, 2023 at 9:25 am
@Brandon, that Aints DB dirtbag deliberately went after CD14’s knee. Payton was the HC. You should have heard the radio guys. I watched the video replay. I want the Bucs to smash the cajuns. While they’re at it, how about dropping Payton off the highest cliff in the Rockies? Scuzzbag.
December 29th, 2023 at 11:03 am
@Brandon…wrong again, son. Godwin caught the pass from Brady perfectly in stride across the middle when the DB took out his knee. Check YouTube. Colinsworth wanted to call it a dirty play (which it was) but got interrupted going to commercial break.
Brady was one of the best at protecting his receivers with ball placement.
December 29th, 2023 at 11:46 am
I like him and the scheme fits our players. However, I am not a fan of Todd Bowles! He’s got to go
December 29th, 2023 at 12:03 pm
Haha Bucfan, that’s my line of thinking. Todd saying “ok, I’m not getting enough out of the Defense, we need more points, do your thing.” And wallah, bit less conservative, couple less runs up the middle and all of a sudden you have 6-14 more points.
December 29th, 2023 at 2:17 pm
In my Opinion Arians came down from the front office and got Canales and Tom Moore together and fixed the offense and now we’re on a winning streak.
December 29th, 2023 at 2:35 pm
Win Sunday and we can pour the anointing oil. Canales needs 34 to compensate for Todd’s defenseless secondary and non-pass rush.
December 29th, 2023 at 4:17 pm
LOL @ Brandon blaming Brady for the hit, when the Taints DB immediately went low towards Godwins knees.
December 29th, 2023 at 5:47 pm
Hey bozos, no one is blaming OldFart12 for the hit. It was a deliberate, aimed tackle right at Godwin’s knee. Payton pulled that sh1t for years. He even got kicked out of the league for a year cos he got caught–supposedly. I’m sure the same relic owns the Aints–whoopee. He fired yet in Denver or not?
December 30th, 2023 at 1:51 am
Joe we have had two very good games offensively with some much better plays called in those games. Undoubtedly. I commend Canales and the offense for there performance… in those two games.
However I am not yet ready to say that there is no room for doubt to creep back in to the Bucs offense this year. Hope that is not the case, but it is two games.
Go Bucs!