Dave Canales ‘just sick’ after Tampa Bay Bucs hand a beatdown to Carolina Panthers

The Panthers got trampled by the Buccaneers on Sunday, 48-14, in Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium, and there really wasn’t much of a silver lining.

The rushing offense, with leading rusher Chuba Hubbard out for the rest of the year, was a non-factor. The passing offense led by Bryce Young was productive at times but was asked to do too much too early thanks to a leaf-thin Panthers defense.

The beneficiaries of this injury-riddled defense? There were so many.

An incomplete list:

▪ Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, who finished 27 of 32 for 359 yards and five touchdowns and a passer rating of 153.0.

▪ Bucs running back Bucky Irving, who finished with 113 yards on 20 carries and added four catches for 77 yards receiving.

▪ Bucs receiver Mike Evans, who finished with eight receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns — and is now 85 yards away from his 11th straight 1,000-yard season.

The Panthers have now allowed 496 points on the season, most in franchise history, per Stat Muse. The NFL record is 533 points allowed; that feat was achieved by the Baltimore Colts in 1981.

Panthers coach Dave Canales, who heads into Week 18 with a 4-12 record, answered to the melee after Sunday’s game. Here’s a recap of his postgame press conference — which includes an analysis of his worry level among the floundering tight end group, as well as why he was forced into putting Young (15 of 28 for 204 and two touchdowns) in tough positions on Sunday.

His first two words encapsulated it all: “Just sick.”

Rest of Dave Canales’ opening statement

“In all phases, we got outplayed, outcoached. First I got to give credit to the Bucs. They were on fire today. And they made it hard for us. We were 22% on third down. We couldn’t stay out there offensively. Defensively, we couldn’t get off the field.

“And the big, blocked punt for another touchdown is huge. So in all phases, it’s stuff that we all gotta carry together. And we got one more opportunity to finish. So we have to regroup. We have to have the discipline to go right back to work and finish on our terms.”

How do you stay competitive on offense when defense is struggling so much?

“It’s all of us. And I know we’ve given up a lot of yards and points. I understand that. But when you got 22% on third down, offensively, and make it hard like that, and we’re off the field, the defense has to go right back out there against a really good offensive attack.

“So it’s about opportunity. We gave them so many opportunities to continue to build off their momentum and things they were doing. So it’s all of us. And I think, everybody, the guys will get up here and tell you that, that we can all do better in our different areas.”

Seems like you’re being forced to get away from the run early due to early deficits. How difficult is that?

“It’s just what we have. And so we just take the next series, based on the score, and try to take what they’re giving us. And we were able to get a touchdown out of that last drive for some things that we saw that we could possibly attack. So my hope was just like, ‘Hey, let’s continue to try to get after those things.’ And we had some near-misses. We had balls right off of guys’ hands, great opportunities Bryce took with some guys, just some near-misses that could’ve extended those drives for us and given us a better opportunities.”

Perspective on blocked punt for a touchdown

“I don’t know. I gotta watch the film.”

Surprised they didn’t call an official timeout with the duck on the field?

“I did see it. But I think it was good enough distance away where it wasn’t going to be a factor.”

Concerned about lack of tight end production?

“Not at all. I think it’s just about where the coverage tells the ball to go, and I think Bryce has done a great job of just taking what’s available and attacking based on the looks we saw. And sometimes the ball doesn’t go to your No. 1 receiver. Yes, I’d love to get those guys the ball more.”

On Adam Thielen’s big first half

“Just matchups. He had some great matchups out there. Took advantage of it. Ran the routes the way he was supposed to. Bryce found him and delivered. So I was really pleased about that part of it.”

On Young-to-Xavier Legette missed connections early

“It was just near-misses. Stuff that we gotta watch and grow from. I just credit those guys for continuing to work at it, continuing to give them opportunities. That’s the only way we’re going to be able to improve that: to continue having those opps down the field, to figure out a way to get him the ball, and for Xavier to get his surface the way he needs it and all that, so that’s part of our progress that we have to continue to attack.”

On NFC South hierarchy

“We got our work cut out for us. We got a long way to go from a progress standpoint. While we’ve seen growth in a lot of areas, we gotta be able to play this division tough. And we have to be able to match up with these guys offensively, defensively, all those things. And so this is the litmus test. It starts with the division, and this is a tough division in terms of playing the Buccaneers, especially when they’re finding their good ball. But we have to be able to finish and find our good ball late in the season.”

On Chuba Hubbard’s absence

“(It impacts) the plan, for sure. And I think just in general for Chuba wanting to finish, wanting to end his really solid season that he’s had on a high note, and we just weren’t able to do that. So first and foremost, I always think about the guy, the competitor, and what he’s meant to our team culture and all that.

“And then from a gameplan standpoint, the rest of the guys have been working really hard to prepare. Mike Boone was sick all week but he was able to rally and spend some time with (running backs coach) Bernie (Parmalee) and be ready to go today, and I was glad that Raheem (Blackshear) got some opportunities today.”

Was today as tough as it’s been all season?

“Definitely. Just because of the way we want to finish. The way we want to find our ball. And that, to me, we’re working so hard to become the best that we can become, and that’s always going to be the goal for us, regardless of what the situation of the season is. And so to go in there and to talk to the guys and look at them and say, ‘We got one more opportunity to finish on our terms, to finish the way we want to.’ And that’s the challenge for us. That’s the challenge: to go back this week, attack it, and finish the right way.”