Dave Canales Addresses “Tanking”
September 16th, 2023
What Bucs fans saw from Tampa Bay on Sunday could have gone a lot differently, says the Buccaneers’ new offensive coordinator.
It seems Dave Canales has been around his share of NFL sideline sniping.
But there was none of that early in the game among Bucs offensive players when the offense struggled mightily, Canales explained.
It all comes back to a Day 1 of focus of becoming tough guys at all times.
“We’re going to finish plays hard. We’re going to finish drives. We’re going to finish halves. We’re going to finish games — on our terms,” Canales said of the philosophy drilled into players.
That chatter is not bravado but about running plays the offense knows best so everyone is ready to be playing fast and physical.
“And that finish mentality is why out of the first five drives of the [Vikings] game we were 3-and-out on four of them, and people could have started tanking and started, you know, spitting comments out and stuff on the sideline,” Canales explained.
“But what you saw was a group that just said, ‘We knew this could happen. We knew it could start slow. We’ll gather the information and then we’ll attack’em.’ And that’s what we did. And the guys stayed together and stayed positive. Not that you’re happy about it, but that we just kept working.”
Well, Joe gets what Canales is saying, but bringing out the “T” word, aka tanking, seems kind of strong for the first half of Week 1. However, there is sad history that says a team can mentally break down after the first play of the game.
Regardless, Joe loves how Canales had his unit ready to grind on Sunday. They stayed tough and physical and eventually the talent took over. Joe can’t ask for much more.
September 16th, 2023 at 6:55 pm
Joe says: “However, there is sad history that says a team can mentally break down after the first play of the game.”
It wasn’t the first play of the game, but about half way through the first quarter, that’s what I saw during the last playoff game against Dallas, when it looks like Hicks sacks Prescott but was called for ruffing the passer. The air came out of the team’s balloon after that play!!
September 16th, 2023 at 7:40 pm
I don’t think Canales brought Baker in to “collapse for Caleb”. Baker did an interview that was posted on 4/13/22. He was asked, where do you see yourself next? His answer, “Seattle is the most likely option”. Canales left Seattle for TB 10 months later and a month after that, Baker signed on. So maybe Canales had a plan to work with Bake even before he came here.
September 16th, 2023 at 7:43 pm
A lot of good quarterbacks in 2024 draft Caleb could be a bust like Zach Wilson.
September 16th, 2023 at 8:02 pm
Allbuccedup
EXACTLY! How soon we forget. We had the #1 pick in the draft and how’d that turn out for us. A freaking disaster with a player who had talent from the neck down but nothing much above. MM the other potential #1 in that draft hasn’t fared any better. Picks #1 and #2 are mediocre and barely still in the league.
They are fundamentally in the same spot as Mayfield. Prove it or leave.
I’ll never forget that draft…how often does a team get the #1 pick in the draft..hopefully never again for the Bucs. I remember virtually all the debate boiled down to JW has more talent than Mariota but he’s a head case who gets in trouble and betrays those who trust him. I believed FSU faithful who ASSURED me…oh noes he’s grown up now. That didn’t even last past the first off season. Just “check yo sheets”. The team was forced to take down the pic of the freaking #1 pick in the entire draft and Darcy Glazer had to go on an apology tour.
PICKGRIN. If you’re still aroun I want to give the right poster credits for this.
I think it was you but my memory might be too old to remember.
But someone actually figured out the “draft capital” of a #1 overall pick and poiinted out that neither the bone headed JW NOR the less talented MM were worth an overall #1
Imagine what the 3-4 talented players from that draft could be doing right now in their prime!!!!
Whoever figured that out…hindsight being 20/20 I admit my GROSS error and respect what you suggested should have happened.
September 16th, 2023 at 8:11 pm
Drake May ain’t looking to good either!!
September 16th, 2023 at 8:11 pm
stpetebucfan
Take your gator footie pajamas off, this is a Bucs website. Trask is a backup at best. Kisses
September 16th, 2023 at 8:25 pm
BA . Trask is better than Baker Mayfield he proved it in training camp and preseason. Now I want Baker Mayfield to at least help us get to the playoffs but the truth is Baker Mayfield was gifted the starting job because of his popularity not his play. I think if they would have known that Kyle Trask would have played this good in training camp and preseason they would have never sign Baker Mayfield. And I don’t care about what college a player played at like most of you fans on this site. This is the only team site I’ve ever seen that if player played at UF the FSU fans hate them or vice versa. I think most of us only care about Kyle Trask or Jamies was because the bucs drafted them and we want them to succeed so they can help the team win .
September 16th, 2023 at 8:56 pm
Oneilbuc: Did you watch the game on Sunday? Mayfield contributed to a Bucs victory, Trask did a nice job of holding a clipboard. WTF are you talking about?
September 16th, 2023 at 8:57 pm
O’Neil. I also think Trask outplayed Baker. I think Trask has a bigger upside. I don’t think we will ever know here. Gifted the job or not. One thing the BUCS have to fix is the free man coming in on pass plays. Mayfield can’t succeed if he a has a free runner coming at him. That’s on the OC. Didn’t seem as bad in the second half let’s hope Canales recognized whatever wasn’t being done right.
September 16th, 2023 at 9:05 pm
Jamiss was the best QB in that draft. Were we not supposed to taken QB? He didn’t turn out well BUT let’s be Realistic. That draft had 2 to choose from. Jamiss’ “talent” was ABSOLUTELY worth the pick! The kid himself however…… Not So Much.
There are a HUGE amount to choose from in this draft and I believe Licht would find us another gem. Trask WAS PERFECT for the Air Raid style of Arians and is showing how good he can be. With “limited help” from multiple head coaches..
He’s showing it now though. There is ABSOLUTELY A Couple of WINNERS in this draft and pointing to Jamiss “AS IF” there was another choice is a USELESS ARGUMENT.. It’s NOT Apples to Apples between the 2 drafts. Not even sort in the same Universe.
But it’s a moot point because chances are we’ll end up with 7 to 9 wins (maybe 6 to 8) this year and the best will be too far out of range without giving up the farm to move up…
Hey maybe the dinky dunk will work out. I just really don’t think so with yards achieved being less than a total of 200 per game. That’s just NOT going to do the trick in the real world against top end teams.
September 16th, 2023 at 9:09 pm
Don’t tell me it’s raining Says
“I don’t think Canales brought Baker in to “collapse for Caleb”.
I’m not even sure he was hired before Baker was signed…I think they hired Canales BECAUSE of Baker.
I could be wrong though.
September 16th, 2023 at 9:12 pm
I don’t think anyone smart expected the team to tank. Real fans do not want a losing culture to return.
That said, I honestly do not expect to pick in the top 5 without trading up anyway.
Even if our Offense turns out to be really, really bad, I believe our defense will be good enough to keep us from picking that high.
So…unless Trask is the next big thing (because I know Baker is not), we’ll be looking to trade up next year…or to sign a vet…again.
September 16th, 2023 at 9:12 pm
I can’t believe some MFers are still talking about training camp and preseason! The Trasktards need to let it go!
September 16th, 2023 at 9:13 pm
I don’t think that Dave Canales was using ‘tanking’ in his comments the same way many have used it to describe what the Bucs seasonal goal should be.
September 16th, 2023 at 9:14 pm
Since76. Well said. Totally agree with it all. Also idk if trask handles those blitz as well as BM did. Practice is one thing but trask won’t keep developing if he’s on the bench. BM has a lot of games under his belt and managed those blitz nice. Did some nice runs and didn’t turn the ball over. Trask won’t learn any of that sitting on the bench unfortunately. I’d like trask to play just so he can develop and see if he can be the future for us. BM is 28 and moble QBs don’t last long in the nfl or miss to many games and if BM has a good season he’ll most likely be to expensive for us next year. Just seems not like best for the Bucs future. Not at all am I saying task is our future but most of us would like to find out and see him play at least a full season
September 16th, 2023 at 9:17 pm
Joe from Michigan. Baker Mayfield played ok in the second half but he sucked in the first half. I hope he plays well so we can win but I’m call it like I see it Baker Mayfield missed on a bunch of wide open receivers like the third in 4 I believe Chris Godwin was wide open. He missed Keif wide open that would have been a touchdown. Again I’m rooting for Baker Mayfield because I don’t want to draft a quarterback in the first round in April. Our defense still need players!! I rather build a great defense with a average or above average offense and that will get us back to the super bowl.
September 16th, 2023 at 9:33 pm
BB-
Just for information sake.
I believe Canales was hired 2/2023
Mayfield was signed 1 month later 3/2023
Go Bucs!
September 16th, 2023 at 9:49 pm
Would Trask have picked up the Vikings defensive tendencies and capitalized on them? Doubtful
September 16th, 2023 at 10:15 pm
Baker played heroically. Hopefully, he won’t get hurt. If he does, Trask will play well, too.
Be happy this week!
September 16th, 2023 at 10:16 pm
1st pass of ATMs Bucs career was a pick6 so that definitely showed the team how it was going to go that year. It was fitting his last pass was one as well. So Michigan Joey I guess you must be a Mayfieldtard then huh? Mayfield was gifted the starting gig. He didn’t do enough to win it.
September 16th, 2023 at 10:40 pm
Give all of us a break! BAKER was better than Trask during college and throughout training camp. He doesn’t have Baker’s arm or Baker’s ability to read defenses. With the exception of Cousins, no QB threw well in the NFL last week.
September 16th, 2023 at 11:32 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says: I’m not even sure he was hired before Baker was signed…I think they hired Canales BECAUSE of Baker.
I believe Canales was hired February 16, 2023 and Baker was hired March 16, 2023.
September 17th, 2023 at 3:20 am
“Well, Joe gets what Canales is saying, but bringing out the “T” word, aka tanking, seems kind of strong for the first half of Week 1. However, there is sad history that says a team can mentally break down after the first play of the game.”
Joe, Lovie’s 2014 and 2015 teams had poor coaching and very few leaders to include Lovie Smith. Lovie’s teams had very little fight in them…Or dog as they say these days. I believe the team did tank at the end of the 2014 season. Despicable!
A team giving up after a penalty? Could be wrong but I don’t think that is at all what LVD was getting at. I do think we had a crap defense though and he may have been calling some dudes out in his own LVD way.
Canales I think had a poor choice of words there. A team giving up after the first play or series does not equate to tanking. Poorly coached maybe? Need to find another profession besides NFL player Maybe? Diva Maybe?
Go Bucs!
September 17th, 2023 at 3:29 am
BTW folks…the Bucs have had more #1 overall draft picks than almost any franchise and have exactly how many franchise QBs to show for it?
Go Bucs!
September 17th, 2023 at 4:28 am
A dropped bomb, and dropped easy touch down, and Baker played like trash in the first, no run game and Baker played like Trash in the first? Look I was pulling for Trask too but that dude played a game lot week.
September 17th, 2023 at 6:29 am
Bucs drafted Trask who they believe might be a very good QB. When the draft comes, I don’t believe the Bucs will select a QB. If the season is successful it will be Mayfield. If not it will be Trask. No tanking this year at all. Bucs will focus on keeping as many good players as they can and continue to draft very well. Just my opinion.
September 17th, 2023 at 6:45 am
I’ve posted this before, so for those who care, I’ll type it again.
Tanking for #1 overall pick doesn’t work… for multiple reasons. Most times teams heading in that direction dump everything else. To include franchise talent, UNLESS still under rookie contracts. This was pointed out by Caleb’s father in a recent interview a week ago, that Caleb might forgo the draft and stay for his senior year if the team picking up #1 is dog spit. To his point, what a terrible situation to put a young talented player coming out of college.
There’s something to be said for drafting a QB in the first round, but the last #1 overall pick to win a Superbowl, Matthew Stafford, who didn’t win it with the team he was drafted by. Before that, Eli Manning. Joe Burrow may be the next guy to do it, but first he has to get past a guy name Mahomes in the AFC.
September 17th, 2023 at 7:41 am
Winfield, Wirfs and yes….Devin White will get paid next season. Baker will want 18 million to resign somewhere. He’s gone.
Bucs will draft QB in first round. They can’t afford to pay a QB.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:10 am
“Baker Mayfield was gifted the starting job because of his popularity not his play.”
RU Serious? That’s specious on many levels. First it’s the freaking NFL, Bowles job on the line, he’s NOT going to care about popularity he cares about job security.
IF Trask is actually better than Baker and not starting it’s because of experience not POPULARITY!!!
“stpetebucfan
Take your gator footie pajamas off, this is a Bucs website. Trask is a backup at best. Kisses”
Perhaps you misID’d the poster to whom you were responding.
For the record I went to the University of Cincinnati. If I had a prejudice it would be to Desmond Ridder but he’s in Atlanta eh?
I root for ALL local teams…home is where the heart is after all. Here is my pecking order….FSU/UF…equally I root for the team that has the best chance for post season success and for their rankings. USF comes next and then the rest of the state teams in no particular order. In honesty though I am a VERY casual fan of college football…I glance at games…I’m far more of an NFL fan.
As for Mayfield/Trask. I have NOT written off Trask NOR Mayfield. I think BOTH of them can win on the right team. If the Bucs DL looks like last Sunday and the defensive backfield could stay healthy, if the OL continues to improve…some people are going to be surprised.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:36 am
Tanking is not an option when yo’re 1-0…..
September 17th, 2023 at 8:38 am
Big Dave: Yes, I’m a Mayfieldtard, as long as the Bucs win with him.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:44 am
We knew this could happen. We knew it could start slow. We’ll gather the information and then we’ll attack’em.’ Canales
Sound like the new oc likes to do his job!!!
September 17th, 2023 at 9:05 am
Baker almost beat KC in a playoff game, Trask hasn’t come out of diapers yet. Seriously let the Trask thing go until he plays a real game or season. IF he plays and shats himself Oneilsuckyall will blame the oline, wr’s or anything else his pea brain can think of or even better he vanishes like he always does when a QB he doesn’t promote succeeds.
September 17th, 2023 at 9:38 am
Baker averaged only 5.1 yards per pass attempt against the Vikings. That blows, putting him at 26th of 32 quarterbacks after week 1.
September 17th, 2023 at 9:47 am
New QB, new OL, new OC, and a bunch of rooks.
Who on earth expected this offense to start fast?
September 17th, 2023 at 9:52 am
Oneilbuc Says:
Even for the quintessential casual fan, you’ve posted some mind-numbing baloney before, but ^^^this^^^ one deserves a nomination into the Casual Fan Mind Numb Hall of Fame.
Holy Smokes!
September 17th, 2023 at 10:05 am
So Charles you would guarantee Trask would have done better and come out with the W? Even as cynical as I am, a new OC, questionable oline and new QB, ya have to cut Faker Mayfield a little break.
September 17th, 2023 at 10:05 am
Oh almost forgot losing HC!!!
September 17th, 2023 at 10:07 am
Bill is a loser without Brady BTW
September 17th, 2023 at 10:54 am
So are the Bucs
September 17th, 2023 at 11:18 am
Ugh the “Baker was gifted the job” again. As the Joes pointed out over and over, Baker had the experience and grit. It would have taken Trask to be unquestionably better than Mayfield for him to win the job. Fair or not, it was the right call.
The only player “gifted a #1 spot” is R. White when Lenny was let go. He still has a lot to do to earn it in my eyes.
September 17th, 2023 at 12:07 pm
Charles Says: Baker averaged only 5.1 yards per pass attempt against the Vikings.
Okay Baker averaged 5.1 yards per play and only threw for 173 yards against the vikings. We won, right?
Brady threw for 17 more (190) last year against the Aint’s, and we won. He threw for 385 against KC, 325 against the crows, 312 against the bengals and 290 against the cats. We lost all of those. I’ll take the W over the yards any day.
September 17th, 2023 at 12:12 pm
Since ‘98, starting with Peyton Manning, there have been 34 QBs drafted in the top 5 (not counting this year’s draft). Roughly 10 of them (maybe 12, depending on your opinion) have developed into successful franchise quarterbacks. 6 have started Super Bowls. 3 have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
Tanking doesn’t work.
September 17th, 2023 at 6:37 pm
OMG I can’t take this websites garbage all u haters will even say after today’s win against Chicago had nothing to do with mayfiekd & his lousey 315 yes it must have been Trask in there with bakers jersey on this site is so bad why do all these negative Nancy bother commenting its just ridiculous
September 17th, 2023 at 6:42 pm
U people & trash talk don’t deserve any wins u r the worst, read all the other team websites they don’t have this kind of garbage from so called fans I bet not 1 of u haters were in the stands today