Facing Former Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales 'Doesn't Change Much' For Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. And with it will come a very familiar face.

The Panthers are headed by former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who helped the Bucs reach the playoffs and win the NFC South in 2023 and win a playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. As a result, he has a bit more insight into Todd Bowles and quarterback Baker Mayfield from last year's season. and that's info he could be giving to his team in preparation for this week.

Bowles acknowledged that. But he also told media that it taking care of themselves will be priority number one for Tampa Bay.

“It doesn’t [change much]. I’ve coached against guys before," Bowles said. "We’re trying to concentrate on things we can do better. We understand what they can do – we know the players they have, we know the coaches they have. We still have to correct our little things. We corrected some things last Sunday – we’ve got to correct more of them this Sunday.”

The man who replaced Canales, offensive coordinator Liam Coen, will have his offense piloted by a quarterback that massively benefitted from Canales' coaching in 2023. Baker Mayfield has played even better this year, already just four touchdowns back of his 2023 total this year, but Canales will likely know him pretty well from coaching him last year.

Coen's not too worried about that, though. And he brings up a good point — this Buccaneers offense isn't the same as it was in 2023.

“Sometimes I feel like some of that information can almost hurt where like you tell him to do this, but it’s like if you just let the guys go play and don’t overanalyze it, sometimes it works out better," Coen said. "I’m sure he has the ability to give ‘E’ (Defensive Coordinator Ejiro Evero) some points on maybe some things he thinks might affect Baker in a way, but we’re also running a different offense.”

Whatever Canales knows, the Bucs have to make sure it won't hurt them. Tampa Bay has to win just about every game remaining on their schedule to make the playoffs, so Bowles and Coen will have to whip up a gameplan that can dispatch the Panthers in Charlotte — because there's very little hope left if they don't.