Dave Canales Admits Offense Still A Work In Progress But He’s Beginning To See Positive Signs
November 2nd, 2023
Noticing signs of life.
Is the Bucs offense about ready break out? Well, Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales wasn’t ready to go there. But he did admit he’s seeing progress.
The Bucs average 17.3 points a game, fifth-worst in the NFL. Canales has said consistently the offense will take time to develop properly. He did not deviate from that stance today in his weekly presser.
Specifically, Canales is seeing progress in the run game.
“We continue to look at the run game first,” Canales said about taking advantage of the mini-bye week to self scout. “Some of the improvements we saw in the game was just intensity and attitude. I think that comes from the familiarity and the comfort in the schemes that we are running.
“I saw guys getting after it. Aggressive plays.”
One of those plays was a holding penalty on receiver Trey Palmer. What Palmer was attempting to do, Canales said, was great. He was just going about it wrong.
“It was an effort penalty,” Canales said. “He was driving the guy into the ground. … He was dominating the play.”
Canales said all Palmer had to do was raise his hands and there likely would not have been a flag tossed.
“Efficiency was not there,” Canales admitted. “At this point, we are really starting to hone in on what we are good at in the pass game.”
Unlike other teams, Canales did not hint changes are coming to the starting lineup in an effort to try to spark the offense. For example, Canales was asked about rookie right guard Cody Mauch and how he is learning a new position.
Canales said even though Mauch may struggle at times, it is expected for a rookie lining up against bigger, faster, stronger men than he ever faced before in college.
Additionally, Canales said Mauch is the Bucs’ best option at right guard, growing pains or not.
November 2nd, 2023 at 1:56 pm
Positive signs?
Where, exactly?
“The check is in the mail.”
November 2nd, 2023 at 1:59 pm
Let’s score more then 20 points this week, how bout it Dave!?
November 2nd, 2023 at 1:59 pm
So basically the team is spiraling downwards and our fantastic coaches are content to just ride it all the way to the bottom. Good to know.
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:02 pm
He must be having a dream. His offense is putrid and ineffective. Where is the great passing or running game. No Where. More smoke for the fans. He should be fired along with Bowles.
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:08 pm
I’m starting to wonder about this guy…….
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:10 pm
Unfortunately time is not on Dave’s side. I bet he will be a good offensive coordinator one day and most likely an HC too. But this is basically his rookie year as a play-caller and time is not on his side with this team. Let’s Go Bucs!!
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:14 pm
Pray for this team. I think Canales is a decent coach and I think his offense may survive in the NFL. But at this time 7 games in I don’t think the fans want to hear the offense is still being figured out. They want to see wins
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:17 pm
12 points per game the last 3 games. offense is doing really good.
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:22 pm
Your Oline is great Canales , obviously a typo that your rushing attack is 2nd worst in the league. All refs hate the Bucs and that is why your Oline is drawing so many penalties. it is not You Dave ,it is them.
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:26 pm
We will see on Sunday if anything changes. But I doubt things will be positive. Same players, same game plans, same excuses. Trying to run first isn’t working, but let’s keep grinding with an inept Offense and a terrible O line. Canales is going to waste the season with this attitude. So much for an OC who knows how to adjust, should have just kept Leftwich.
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:35 pm
If anything it’s gotten worse. The league has tape on him now and his been’d arounds are getting snuffed out.
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:36 pm
I’ve said it before and I am even more certain about it now. This coaching staff talks and acts like a staff that has been told by ownership and management they will be judged primarily by improving the existing and rookie players not by being a playoff team.
Of course no team in the league with that goal is going to state it for the fans to hear it ( and stop buying tickets even more) but its the only thing that makes sense with How the coaching staff talks even at week 8
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:47 pm
Tony, sounds correct.!! Sunday is the limus test if we dont score 25 we are in deep, deep trouble… Go Bucs!!
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:52 pm
Mauch hit the rookie wall two weeks ago, he needs to sit like Goedeke did last year. Truth be told, he never should’ve started in the first place. Stinnie is much better then Mauch at this point in his career. Stinnie played RG during the SB, and played well. Where did Mauch play guard, on a farm? If the Bucs were so willing to let Mauch learn on the job, why not Trask?
November 2nd, 2023 at 2:56 pm
Once again, horrible fans quitting with 10 games remaining!
November 2nd, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Mauch is the best option at RG? Malpractice committed by Licht if that is true. It’s embarrassing watching these dudes get their aases handed to them on every run down. 32nd in the league in rushing and an offense that struggles to score. That’s all a direct function of an oline that cannot run block for shht. Accountability starts at the top.
November 2nd, 2023 at 3:00 pm
I am seriously questioning ownership’s commitment to a winning season this year. Canales was a late hire and Bowles is just not HC material. The dude does not manage games at the level he needs to compared to his peers around the league. I still think Licht and ownership don’t plan on doing much until they free up cap space to entice a legitimate HC and staff here that can bring home another Lombardi. No successful HC would come to Tampa with the state of the cap the way it is right now. Bowles is just a stop gap and will be fired come year end. He probably already knows this and is happy to collect the checks he is getting.
November 2nd, 2023 at 3:12 pm
Green Shoots
November 2nd, 2023 at 3:17 pm
20, 27, 11, 26, 6, 13, 24. Points this year, including Shaq TD.
That’s progress? No, that’s incompetence.
November 2nd, 2023 at 3:19 pm
Soft tank.
I can’t be the only one who saw this coming.
November 2nd, 2023 at 3:20 pm
Hodad Says: “If the Bucs were so willing to let Mauch learn on the job, why not Trask?”
Good question. Sadly, the answer is that Trask is blanco and went to Florida. If Trask had lots of melanin and went to FSU, and “outplayed” Mayfield in training camp as Joe said he did, he would have been declared the starter. No doubt in my mind whatsoever.
November 2nd, 2023 at 3:34 pm
I like our OC.
Our New DC is doing good.
We have found a QB
We need an Offensive minded HC
We Need a Center.
We need 2 more pass rushers
We need a new safety.
Our O line needs time together, and depth.
Considering we are in rebuild after a Superbowl win- we are doing great.
But last week, alot of this team had quit.
This year still could be ok- but If this team has quit on Bowles(likely), then its over until next year.
November 2nd, 2023 at 3:40 pm
In the words of another Bucs offensive genius…. ‘We do what we do’
November 2nd, 2023 at 3:45 pm
Hodad,
Oh, thats Because Mayfield is a Good NFL QB, and Trask is noodled armed.
Mauch will develop into a good NFL guard. Trask will never develop into anything but an insurance salesman.
Didnt you watch him play?
Whats with you Florida fans? Will Trask playing somehow make you feel better about yourselves?
“We went to the same school! Whoopie!”
Save yourself some grief,then. If he ever plays, he will be Horrible- and a huge embarrassment to UF.
Will you stop claiming him at that point?
You’re as bad as those simpletons clamoring for Glennon a few years back!
November 2nd, 2023 at 3:50 pm
Capt Tim. We found a QB ??? Mayfield????? Lol. That’s funny.
November 2nd, 2023 at 4:02 pm
power sweep Says:
“If Trask had lots of melanin and went to FSU, and “outplayed” Mayfield in training camp as Joe said he did, he would have been declared the starter.
——
P sweep you talk a lot of nonsense but leave that racist garbage African Americans get preferential treatment in sport off any bucs related site . Those of us living in florida for a long time know where those place are that think like that and can smell it out in an instance.
Inserting race into a competition between two QBs of the same melatonin distribution just shows how much its in your mind because it obviously has no bearing on Baker and Trask and shouldn’t have been brought up.
November 2nd, 2023 at 4:16 pm
2 things Canales wanted to implement. Tempo offense, and more motion offense.
1) tempo offense: nope, nada, not a chance.
2) more motion: hasn’t happened, except for o-line false starts.
November 2nd, 2023 at 4:27 pm
@ Tony Marks
I just report what I observe. That you’re so upset means I’m over the target.
November 2nd, 2023 at 4:29 pm
I will emphasize, Canales said “Tempo Offense”
He did not specify, up tempo or down tempo.
I’m starting to believe; he meant the latter.
November 2nd, 2023 at 4:40 pm
power sweep Says:
I just report what I observe. That you’re so upset means I’m over the target.
—–
🙂 only people who reason as you do are upset – because the country has moved away from looking at the world from under linen and from burning things on lawns.
November 2nd, 2023 at 4:41 pm
It just seems completely odd Joe is stating that they are going to keep starting Mayfield even if the Bucs keep losing.
Makes zero sense. Goes against conventional wisdom.
November 2nd, 2023 at 4:43 pm
How many “Baker Propaganda” accounts, does Baker’s team have running here.
November 2nd, 2023 at 5:00 pm
The good news is we don’t have to worry about another team, hiring Canales as their head coach next year. there won’t be any competition for his services
November 2nd, 2023 at 5:27 pm
“How many “Baker Propaganda” accounts, does Baker’s team have running here.”
Not nearly enough as the Trask stan accounts
November 2nd, 2023 at 5:31 pm
Such a crazy and taboo concept to support your starting QB who’s been the best QB in the NFC South by far this season….
and that’s without a fraction of the running game that the Saints and Falcons have.
November 2nd, 2023 at 5:41 pm
Growing pains suck. First 4 games Canales figured out the NFL. Next 3 the NFL figured out Canales. Going forward, roll Baker out on boots and have a Rachaad option for escape valve. I’m not ready to call this trash, let’s see how old boy responds
November 2nd, 2023 at 5:42 pm
Canales … “At this point, we are really starting to hone in on what we are good at in the pass game.”
Interpretation? ‘We gave up on the running game so now’s the time to focus on the passing game’.
November 2nd, 2023 at 5:51 pm
@Mike S, Baker isn’t playing hero ball, but he isn’t killing the team with turnovers either. Fun fact, as a starter vs Joe Burrow Bake has never lost. May not be the answer but he sure ain’t the problem. It’s more than the QB. Hater
November 2nd, 2023 at 6:00 pm
It’s a bit crazy and perplexing to think Trey Palmer could get called for Holding when he drove a guy into the ground who happened to land on his back too 🤷♂️
November 2nd, 2023 at 6:01 pm
Capt Tim … ‘We need an Offensive minded HC’.
Rumor has it that Josh McDaniels is available. We should push that button because everyone knows that offensive-minded HCs are sooo much better than defensive ones.
o Pete Carroll (166-114-1) … defensive background
o Mike Tomlin (167-96-2) … defensive background
o Bill Belicheck (300-158) … defensive background
o Sean McDermott (67-38) … defensive background
o Mike Vrabel (51-38) … defensive background
And those are just some of the active ones. Only point being Tim that there are (and have been) winning & losing head coaches on both sides of the aisle.
November 2nd, 2023 at 6:10 pm
DC , you’re a nice guy, but remember this is the NFL…which means Not For Long. Surely, in your playbook there are plays the team doesn’t need a slide rule and Periodic Table to understand.
November 2nd, 2023 at 7:01 pm
I understand coaches can’t give away explicit game plans, but sweet mother of god, can they ease up on the generalities? When the only examples of how they’re improving is by saying “we’re more intense” or “just being more efficient” isn’t explaining anything. Those are not quantifiable, concrete explanations of change.
It lends me to believe this staff has no idea how to change or improve. Actions speak louder than words and we’ve seen literally nothing evolve with their strategy, playbook, schemes, or personnel.
November 2nd, 2023 at 7:04 pm
First off, I’m not a Gator fan. I’m not clamoring for Trask. Capt., you’re probably right, Trask sucks. Guess what? So does Mayfield. He’s on his 4th team for a reason. His history is that of a loser. What could it hurt giving Trask a shot? Will Levis a second round pick from the SEC got his first start over the vet Tannyhill, and guess what? Throws for 4 tuddies. Why couldn’t that be Trask? Never know, if you never try.
November 2nd, 2023 at 7:31 pm
@Tony Marks
Hate to break it to you, but the NFL has institutionalized racism with its Rooney Rule telling teams what color candidates they must interview for job openings. You’re barking up the wrong tree, pal.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:11 pm
This is all to be expected. Did anyone really expect us to land king Henry or a pass rusher in trade?? Didn’t we all see how we are in salary cap hell and this year we were paying off the devil for our Super Bowl excursions? Didn’t have the world say we were gonna suck? Don’t we have 12 or 13 rookies on our squad? Did we not go find the cheapest trick at qb?
Everyone reacts like a damn Richter scale and forgets about the long term vision, especially mid season. Losses suck and losses at home are a sin but this team is what it is at this point. As the podcast stated: we are slated for mediocrity and NFL purgatory. The best we can hope for is progress and maybe a 8-9 win season and keep drafting studs. Isn’t that what all the teams do? Unless you can sign a Brady
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:13 pm
Last year Bucs were 3-4 and it was Leftwich fault- now it’s Canales’ turn.
What’s different about this year’s offense?- new guards, new QB
Same Center, same TE, not quite ready for NFL- receivers
The offense lacks talent but Canales is correct- if they execute better and avoid penalties, they will start seeing wins because the D is playing well.
Another draft or 2 and some key FA signings and Bucs could be contenders again – they just need more talent on offense …and Mayfield to play better which he’s capable
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:17 pm
Kum-baya! Kum-baya!
Everything is fine.
It’s just a flesh wound.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:54 pm
Alan, if it is true, and it is, that the offense is so mediocre, why is Canales so geeked on implementing such an exiting offense? They will never adapt to it. They lack the athleticism and brain power to run it. Wouldn’t it be wiser to run a simpler system that they CAN run? Or does that make too much sense?
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:05 pm
Historically, all great NFL teams have a great QB. Someone who can be counted on in practice, games. This individual motivates his teammates, coaches, front office and darn near everyone associated with the franchise. Baker is learning his role with his new team. He will get hot and prove the past six teams that he played for were wrong. We’ll be proud to be a Bucs fan when they win the Super Bowl .
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:47 pm
Shorty is a cross between Kilmer and Tebow.
November 2nd, 2023 at 10:47 pm
Plausible, actually. College WR’s are stars who don’t have to block. But why we have to rely on him to do so in that situation is on management. No wr3 and no viable running back IS the tank plan. No matter who the quarterback is he is one dimensional. No matter how good the defense is they are going to tire. This is built to spill. To justify changing coaching and aim for a top 5 pick.
November 2nd, 2023 at 11:14 pm
Just hire Gruden. Fire Tony Dungy type coaches and all is good.
November 2nd, 2023 at 11:38 pm
“Some of the improvements we saw in the game was just intensity and attitude.”
LMAO
We got a motivational speaker instead of an offensive coordinator. Whoops!
November 2nd, 2023 at 11:43 pm
Canales definitely isn’t the first OC Mayfield gets fired. Sadly the league loves Baker commercials so he won’t be the last.
November 2nd, 2023 at 11:44 pm
Buckeyebuckchuck Says:
November 2nd, 2023 at 5:41 pm
“…Going forward, roll Baker out on boots and have a Rachaad option for escape valve.”
Yes! And up tempo. The more time Baker has to make a decision, the longer it takes.
November 3rd, 2023 at 1:13 am
As Toilet Bowl said the defenses are preventing Baker to get out of the pocket and force the shorty to throw with three steps back which will result in incompletions and interceptions. Wait didn’t he know that before hire Baker ?
November 3rd, 2023 at 2:38 am
Instead of an established offensive strategist and innovator, you sign a guy with no OC experience, who, on the way out, wasn’t missed by the team he spent years with. You throw him out there with a substandard roster not built for what he claims to have in mind, and one with a bad OL, no feature running back, an uneven bunch of WRs, and a QB with a bad resume. All headed by…Todd Bowles.
Was this supposed to be a recipe for success? What soured the team last season remains: a neither here nor there situation on every level. Refused to blow it up and rebuild in earnest (the best way to eventually field a winner, just take the pain for a season), refuse to dump Bowles, despite poor leadership, and also refuse to go all-in, for Brady or anyone else.
November 3rd, 2023 at 3:14 am
Steele,
You hit it on point! The refusal to blow up a team with the sole purpose of reloading the next year. Maybe the fan base , ticket buying fans, are not willing to pay for an overtly rebuilding year.
This must be a glazer thing. Because the roster has turned over half the players in a season. But I don’t see any position that improved with 13 or so new players. Same problems last year , same problems this year.
New OC . With an offense built for a complete different style. And not to give him a big pounding RB , Marshawn lynch type, is insane. One QB on the roster that light had zero confidence in prior to preseason.
Dolphins blew up their team and so did the jags .
We go 7-8 wins and it’s useless for next year. Medium sucks in the nfl. It’s built to get good fast and lose it fast. So we take a slow build approach!
November 3rd, 2023 at 6:39 am
What a snake oil salesman this guy is. This team is NOT improving DAVE. Who are we to believe YOU or our lying eyes. Clean house after this season. I’m sick of this while coaching staff. Pathetic.
November 3rd, 2023 at 6:49 am
Mostly Peaceful Trask Fan Says: “Canales definitely isn’t the first OC Mayfield gets fired. Sadly the league loves Baker commercials so he won’t be the last.”
THIS!
November 3rd, 2023 at 9:20 am
For all of the ex NFL coaches out there who want to label a professional NFL coach a bust after 7 games, I encourage you to look at some of the losing records of some recent HC/OC’s for their first one or even second years. For example three guys labeled as offensive genius’s like Kyle Shanahan, Josh McDaniel, Eric Bieniemy. …. Look at Matt LeFleur this year without Aaron Rodgers….
And yes there are some who have been successful out of the gate such as McVay, but they are the exception, not the rule.
I have heard many times on local radio for the Niners that it can take as many as 15-20 games to really be comfortable in the zone read type offense. Shanahan won 10 games his first two years.
My point is Canales is smart, he has a plan and he takes responsibility when things go badly. He is working with basically a brand new line that’s missing one of the best Centers in the league, and with two tackles playing in new positions a rookie guard and a new quarterback. Maybe we should evaluate the offense at 12 -13 games in or at the end of the season, not 40% in?
We are 3-4, played a tough schedule (against teams that are currently a combined 32-24 with a.571 win percentage; with the Bears as the only team they played with less than 4 wins) for the first 7 games with losses to division leaders Philly and Detroit or playoff eligible team, Buffalo we beat two decent teams on the road in Minnesota and the Saints. The lose to the Falcons was frustrating but it happens in the NFL – see Denver beating the Chiefs or Vikings beating the Niners.
Remember this was a team picked by many to have 2 wins at most and no road wins and in salary cap hell. Is everything perfect, no but it’s not as bad as some make it out to be.
What I really like about Canales is he is not dumbing down the offense. He is using this year to evaluate which players, including the quarterbacks, are smart enough and athletic enough to work in the system, which has been successful across the NFL for the last 7 or so years, while still trying to win games. I would rather we take a few losses this year and build on this year with these young players and this offensive scheme, than be changing just for change sake.
Doing that just gets you another lost decade.
November 3rd, 2023 at 10:23 am
For the people complaining about Mauch. Bowles is fighting for his job. If he goes more than likely all the coaches go. Don’t you think they would start the people who they believe are best at each position? As for Canales, the man has had half a season to implement a new offense and this is the first time he has been an OC. How many people in here have played football in their lives? Doesn’t it get harder at each level? How many in here have played in the NFL? Probably none. If it was easy any of you could probably do it. But it is not, it is extremely hard. Give Canales a full season before you crucify him.
November 3rd, 2023 at 3:18 pm
Growing pains? Shrinking pains is more like it!
November 3rd, 2023 at 9:10 pm
WyomingJoe, Bucs win this Sunday, a lot of these jokers won’t be on here for at least a few days. Keep the faith, fellow fan.
November 3rd, 2023 at 9:49 pm
“Progress”, we’re talking about “progress”!! haha. It’s funner if you picture Alan Iverson saying it. This isn’t Pop Warner , or PE class, where everybody gets a participation trophy. This isn’t a behavioral therapy counseling session, where the psychologist pats you on the back and says “you’re actually making good progress”… how nauseating! This guy is literally the worst play caller, OC, coach, certainly the least imaginative and least adjustments of any OC I’ve ever seen. Byron Leftwich by comparison is downright creative, and that guy was the worst I’d ever seen for the past 2 years. This tops the Lehman Bennett, Ray Perkins, any era I’ve ever seen. There are no “plays”! There are no adjustments. Just run, pass, run/pass, punt. Plain vanilla, no syrup, no sprinkles, no nuts, no ________. Fill in the blank
November 3rd, 2023 at 10:02 pm
This team is not “improving”. That comment would be just insulting. For those that believe Canalis, check out our children’s book called The Emperor’s New Clothes, you’ll find it very inspiring, just not for the reasons you think.
Ps, for all the Mayfield haters, I think the average time for a QB to release a pass in the NFL is 2.4 seconds or so. I would hazard a guess that Mayfield has about .8 seconds before someone is in his face, bearing down on him. In a fantasy world, I’d love to see Mayfield and Mahomes trade places for 1 game, no QB is having success with this team as presently constructed and coached!