OverDrive - OverDrive - December 19, 2025 - Hour 1 - Luke Willson/Al's Brother

Episode Date: December 19, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jamie McLennan and Jonas Siegel for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs' rough defeat to the Capitals, Craig Berube's significant comments calling out the players and his future with the team, if major changes are coming to the roster, the players' role for the issues and how the team can seek improvements. TSN NFL Analyst Luke Willson on the Seahawks' win against the Rams, Seattle's look as a contender and Week 15 picks.

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Fanduil, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. All right, here we go, Overdrive, Off and Running. TSN 1050 on the TSN app, your home smart speaker up on TSN4, Brian Hayes, Jamie Noodles, McClellan, and we've got Jonas Siegel in here today. There he is. What a day to have Jonas in here. I can't imagine. The two of you, I should have came into studio today so I could be a buffer before fist starts flying.

I don't know. We might be seeing eye to eye on this one. What does that mean? You know what? I'll let you guys start, but I just feel like you've always kind of been at odds a little bit when it came to certain situations. But are you now on the same page? That's where I should frame it. I think there's a possibility.

You know that famous picture with the bloods? and the Crips and they're holding up the Which are you? I don't know which one I am but you and I we need like two bandanas in here and we need a picture of us holding it up together because man this leaf team man do they supply content you're writing about ticket sales

and injury reports which are great articles at the athletic and we'll get into those and then they go out there and play a completely lifeless brand of hockey and just get their doors blown off by Washington. And then Craig Baroube, you know, says what he says after the game. It's ugly. What do you make of that?

It's very ugly. I wanted your interpretation. Let's work backwards from what Chief said, because we can break down the game. I wanted both of your interpretation of what. Okay, let's play the clips here first. Let's just to reset, just in case someone's tuning in, and they have not heard Craig Barubei post game after the Leafs got shut out in Washington last night. Here's what

Rubei had to say about his team. To me, they play with more passion than we did tonight. I mean, that's what it boils down to. It looked to me like they had way more urgency in their game, more passion in their game. That's the difference.

How do you explain that, consider where you are at? Ask those guys, not me. Oh, man. That's the stinger. That's the one you'll remember because, like, so noodles, whenever I hear something like that, and I think Hayes is where we're aligned, when it starts to become they or those guys and not we, us, that's when you're like, is there a divide here and can it be bridged? Right. It's a standoff right now.

It's a standoff between the coach and the players, and, you know, the Craig Barouba is, is not happy and he shouldn't be happy. Like, last night was not about coaching or about systems. Can't agree with you there. Last night was about effort. Last night was about, now, not the bigger picture through 33 games. We'll get into it. All right, I'm taking my bandana back. You better get across Crenshaw Boulevard.

Get out of here, Jonas. So I struggle with that. They were pathetic last night. Everwise. Especially, let me clarify, they're best players. Their best players. That nice Matthews-Neilander line was the worst line on the ice. They were horrendous last night.

I can't disagree with you. I think two things can be true. It's also on the coach for the team to play. hard. That's the job, right? Like, the coach's job is to get the team to play hard, play well, execute, and it's also on the players to do that. It can

be... I agree with you in terms of the big picture. Again, I'm talking about last night in particular. That's not... Not an isolated night. You've seen that 10 times this year? Right. Well, listen, Craig Barube has to own a lot. They get caved in almost every night. Get out shot every single night. Their power play is horrendous.

All in the coat. Yes, the possession numbers, all that kind of stuff, is on he wants them to protect the house they're horrible at it like they're horrible at protecting their house look at OEL and Riley last night like just they can't do it he wants them to be a big heavy four checking

dump and chase team they can't do it they won't do it now again this is an existential question noodles you can jump in is it that they can't is it that they won't which one is it but they got to get an answer on that because Craig Barouba is not going to change he's going to continue to coach

the way he's always coached which is fair let me weigh in on a couple things it's easy to go well you know the the style that they play is conducive to you know to what the team is is capable of doing let me ask you this what is the identity of that group right now jonas if you had to write an article that's okay so start that at the top of your page when you go to write for the athletic and you're right leaf's identity what is their their identity inconsistent don't like it's just just what Hayes said. Hayes said it best.

They don't control games. They have a bad power play. Their effort is inconsistent. That's the identity. That's the identity. Yeah. A sargic. Just a rudderless ship.

Yeah. That's what they look like. But, okay, so the coach can only, this is where I'm going to push back or defend the coach a little bit here. The coach can lay out some stuff. If he's not executed by the players, like he can't put his gear on and go and box somebody out in front of the net. He can't do that.

No. You know, systematically, I get it. There's a difference between wanting to play a chip and chase. And listen, the Stanley Cup champions are able to do it. Like I say, I've watched, you know, Sam Reinhart, Chip and Chase on a two-on-two. Why can't William Nealander or Austin Matthews? Are they above those guys? Well, that is a reasonable question.

See, I think. But those players in particular who, again, have been off. He called them out on Saturday, Aruba, and said, I challenged my leadership. they played two of the worst games I've ever seen them play. What does that mean? What does I tell you? But they're not kids, though, Jonas. No, like Austin Matthews is making $13 million to play like he has the last two games

is completely unacceptable. I am not absolving him, but I think you ask the right questions. It's like, can they? Right. Won't they? But then I think the third question, noodles where I'd push back on your pushback is like, does, that's pretty good, right? I like a little pushback on a pushback.

We got a rally going here. Is the system conducive? to success? Like, is the way that they want to play with this roster, does it work? And I think the answer we have is no. Yeah, I'm not disagreeing with you. But what I'm saying is this the National Hockey League, and it's not that complicated. For the most part, it's puck possession, it's straight line hockey, it's winning 50, 50 battles, you need the goaltender. You know, how many times have the GM said to me, the league should just be called goalie, because that's what the coach of the year should be called the goal they're not in the in the spot they're in because of goaltending no i'm not that's not what's happening

believe me i'm not what i'm saying is there's a lot of different factors that come to it so within the game there is some systematic play where it's like okay they they look either disorganized i also think they look slow so like you can execute a system if you play fast and you chip and chase and go and get it and win a loose buck battle in the corner, the system works. If you chip and you're second on the puck and you lose the battle because you don't want to dig in, is that on the coach or is that on the player?

Or is that on the GM? That's also on the GM. Is that on the GM? Part of the roster. Like Brad Trillivings been here a long time. You know, he has either acquired everyone or re-signed everyone short of a couple guys. You know, so he has made determination. This is his roster. Yes, Shanahan factored insignificantly,

but this is no longer the Kyle Dubus roster or the Lou Lamarillo roster. This is a Bradtree living roster. It's also his coach. He hired Greg Barube. So I do think the GM needs to be brought into the picture here in terms of what he's doing and how he got them to this position. Well, I think as we sit here and play the, we'll call it the blame game, there's enough to go around for everybody because can, and we did it a while ago, Hayes, maybe a month ago, didn't we do like a little pie chart of how much percentage, like should this guy own and should that guy own, or the players, or the coaches, or management.

Like, there's enough blame to go around. And there is the injury blame, too, you know, like that. But that's, I think it was a bit of a long time. The problem is every team has injury. Yeah, that ship is not going to hold up. Let's agree, the three of us, agree that we're going to park that one. It's well known. You know, ask me, name me a team that doesn't have a significant injury.

Maybe Colorado, you know, a couple of these teams. But outside of that, there's injury throughout the league short and, not shortened season, short and schedule, there's injuries and inconsistencies. Okay, so let's leave, let's park that. Roster construction, that's a GM. Coaching, execution of the system, that's the coach. The player, I'm sorry, system layout is the players, or is the coach, execution of the system is the players. So all three of them, where are your grades at?

Where are the blame lie? I think, I mean, I'd say. it's pretty close to, you know, 33%. Yeah, I mean, which means, you know, the players, you're not getting rid of all the players. Like, that's not going to happen. And they've got to figure out as an organization what is in the best interest of this team

because, you know, there's, I think if you're Brad Tree Living, there's three ways you can look at this. The first way you, the first one is, the answers were in that room. He played that card a month ago, right? Answers are in that room. I think you can play the, I'm going to be, patient game when you're 15 games in 20 games in you run out of time on that the math just doesn't

math you can't just be patient and say the answers are in the room for this season i'm not talking big picture and what happens in the future i'm talking if you want to salvage this year i don't think i'm not sure you can play that much longer he may try to make definitely going to happen in nashville tomorrow dallas the next night i don't know if you can play it beyond that especially if they lose the next two games then you have a fork in the road is it it that the players just aren't good enough, so it doesn't matter who the coach is. If that's

the answer, then you better find a mirror quick because you put them here. And then you got to go to Keith Pellian ownership and say, this team stinks because of me, I built it. I'm not sure Tree Living's going to do that, but that may be the appropriate answer. It may be the accurate one. It may be irrelevant who the coach is. This team just isn't

good enough. The other evaluation is, I believe they're better than this, and they're not doing it, so I have to make a coaching change. Like, that's his two options, noodles, as far as I'm concerned. I don't think patience you can play for maybe a few more games, not much longer. At some point, the season's gone.

They're just, you've got to jump over too many teams, the other teams are going to keep winning, and you're just, you're not playing well enough. So is it, players aren't good enough, doesn't matter who the coach is, or players are much better than this, and they're not getting the most out of them, so I have to make a coaching change. That's his option. Those are his options. So it's from us and the fans, I mean,

media, you know, people on the outside. Is our expectation of this team too high? Like when you're even from day one, was the expectation? Because, again, Hayes, you've said it, nine years in a row, 100 points, spoiled kind of, regular season, wake me up, you know, it's going to be records here. And, you know, like, so we've had this expectation of like, yeah, this is a hundred point team and all that, is the expectation when we look at this group, was it, You know, it's not our fault.

I'm just saying, is the expectation too high for this group here? What was your expectation would be the question? My expectation is I thought this was a playoff team, but it was a wildcard team. Okay, so that's like, is that 90-ish points, 95 points? 95 points. They're on point. It's for 87 right now. Yeah, well, that's got to change.

And let's be clear, it's irrelevant what we thought in September. Yeah, there's enough sample size now to say this is the group. Well, and Hayes, I thought you asked the most important question is, is the coach getting the most out of the roster that he has? The answer is no. So, like, do you think a different, like, a different coach can get more to the roster? That's the question. Yeah.

And then, you know, who is that? Or can this coach change? And there's, I want to play this clip because the, the mic drop was go ask them. Like, that's, that's a pretty significant clip. And that's Barubei being exasperated. And he's just like, I go talk to those guys. I don't have any answers. That's Craig from Scarborough on the couch.

That's not Craig. Barouba the coach, right? That's a fan who's just so mad and so rattle with these guys saying, you go figure it out. But here's what he said at the end which I actually think probably holds more meaning. And if I'm Brad Tree Living, I think it probably

holds more meaning in terms of trying to salvage this season. The bubble of 25-26. Here's what Barube said on his message. Are you concerned that your message isn't getting through? No, I don't think I'm concerned about that. I mean, The message is the message.

You know, they need to take it and go with it. But I'm not concerned with it, no. So why I think that is somewhat explosive is, and I'm not surprised by that, is Craig Barube is saying, I'm not changing. I'm not evolving. Like, I'm not going back to the whiteboard and saying, okay, I've got to throw this out, and we've got to restart here, and I've got to do something different. That's very eerily similar to what Babcock was saying at the end.

He's like, I know who I am. I got a cup ring, and I'm a damn good coach. Didn't you talk about himself in the third person? He did. And that's not what Baroube did last night. But Baroube, you know, I'm sure he's confident in himself. He should be. Stanley Cup winning coach.

He had them in a great track last year, right? Craig's been in the league for 40 years. Craig Barube, I'm sure, he's very confident in himself, and he should be. But I find that comment interesting. Like, message is the message. Not changed on my end. They're either going to do it or not. I guess he could have said, like,

maybe we have to start thinking about a different way to get through the group because it's not working? Is that the way we say? Well, and ultimately apply a different approach, right? It doesn't matter what he's going to say. Are you going to apply a different approach? But it doesn't sound like that's going to be the case, Noodle. Here's the thing that I struggle with is where, like, we're asking, is there a disconnect, okay? Have we seen a disconnect?

And what I mean by that is friction between the coach and the players. The coach is yelling. coaches always yell when they're winning or losing, whatever. I haven't seen a benching. I haven't seen, you know, hey, I'm going to get my message across a guy. You know, have we seen any of the guys that are culprits will call it? But, you know, is like, they're ass nailed to the bench?

Isn't it disconnect what the coach is saying in the way he wants the team to play? They're not playing that way, can't play that way, whatever? Isn't that a disconnect? Like, isn't that the biggest disconnect of all? Isn't that the point of the coach? I think the, okay, so you could say play this way, but if you're not capable of playing it, then there has to be adjustments. So what you're saying is Austin Matthews who's supposed to be one of the best players in the world, can't chip and chase because he's, what, too slow, not physical enough? Like, can't win a battle?

Like, I don't understand that. Like, it's hockey 101. Any top player, Leon Drysiddle can play any type of way you want. Except, like, noodles, remember what happened in Edmonton? How many years ago, is that two years ago? With Woodcroft? Yeah. They changed the coach.

They went to the cup final two years in a row. That's a better team. Okay. But like, but like, but we see that all the time where you change the coach and like there's a bump and like, I don't know, like I don't want to say like it's all on Craig Barube.

It's not. I don't. That's a thing. But I think it's not on Burbuby at all. It's not on him. It's on him somewhat. It's for sure. It's definitely not on him.

My point is, my point is, you're right. It's not zero percent. I should have said it all. I think it's the. I think it's number one. I think Austin Matthews is number one.

I think William Nylander is number one. I think John Tivirus had a great start and has done nothing lately. Matthew Nyes has gone to sleep. Does Max Domi play for the team or not? I'm not sure. No, he's not bringing much. Name me a player that has played to their capabilities in the last month. Name me one.

It's a great question. It's a very valid question. Is that Craig? Dakota Joshua has come alive? Yeah, great. You know, no, I'm just giving you an answer. and speaking to what you're intimating there, because you're right. None of them, and that's the thing.

Like the players, they look as if they're just, but I don't know if a new, here's the problem. These guys do not deserve the benefit of the doubt that they can fight themselves out of a bind because their whole reputation is when the going gets tough, they melt. Exactly. Like that's in the regular season. Regular season, you're right, but it's always been a little bit easier. Yeah.

You know, they've always, they've gotten off to a better start. They've been better. Marner was here, which Marner clearly helps in the regular season. There's no doubting now. So that's the thing. And that's what makes this whole season a little bit shocking is, you know, like you look at Austin Matthews in particular. And I think he's got to be at the forefront of this.

He's the leader. He's a captain, best player, highest paid guy. Since you became the captain, you have been leading the charge for, you know, game five and seven against Florida, which are two of the most embarrassing moments in, maybe leave history honestly like just horrendous and especially the way game seven played out no one showed up no one showed leadership i thought in the wake of that haze like it was a lot on the players and there wasn't enough like how much that is on the coach that the team doesn't show up and you get paved in the first period of game seven of of a home game in the second round

that's a hundred percent on the players 100 percent game seven the first period of game seven a hundred percent of the players what a coach does tell me what a coach does tell me what a coach has to do in a game seven. Get the team ready to play. Are you not ready to play? If you're not ready to play, then you just admitted that all of them have to go. So you're saying if they had no one behind the bench, it wouldn't matter. What I'm saying is, what I'm saying is, wouldn't make a difference.

They don't have a coach. Define a team that's ready to play. Define that. He's talked about it. Come out and dictate play. They don't do that. I think both things can be true. I think you're right.

It's on the players for sure. But to say the coach has no role in that. It doesn't make anything. Not in an isolated scenario like that. If it's game seven of the second round at home, your whole career has been predicated on you choking in the playoffs. So you were in the building for the first period. I sat four seats from you. That was one of the worst periods of all times.

Their shot attempts were like 23 to 1 or something like that for Florida. What about game five? That's no responsibility? I'm not saying that necessarily, although I do think the players have to own it more in the playoffs than they do during the regular season. I think at that time, the only reason why I'm pushing back on it harder than I would because I think there's validity to all this full conversation is when you were in the second round of the playoffs, everything is habit, everything is your preparation. You don't, the guy behind the bench, all he does is put the players on the ice.

They go and execute. So to me, I don't understand what he would have to do differently. do you have to go and grab Austin Matthews by the hair and go get your ass out there and run somebody through the boards? Or should a player understand what he needs to do in the playoffs to have success? I think both things can be true. I think it's on him to find a way they have been tight in the playoffs, obviously. Isn't it part of his job to figure out like how do we make sure they're not tight?

Like how do I loosen them up? How do I get them feeling good? Like that's part of his job. I think it's a lazy narrative right now in this market to go fire the coach. Wow. Really? How many coaches are they going to go through with the same? They haven't gone through their many coaches.

Should they trade one of the best players? They've gone through Babcock, Keefe, and Burubei over 10 years. It's not that many coaches. But what I'm saying is, oh, they gave up on Keefe. You know, country club couldn't ever. It was five years. At some point, don't the players deserve some responsibility and all of this, or is it just going, you know, it's the coach again.

So how extreme would you go then, noodles? would you challenge them and say give me a trade I'm trading one of you guys like would you trade Austin Matthews right now what is that what are you going to do right now Austin Matthews controls

all of what he's doing sure but you know what I'm saying you can poke at him and say if I'm keeping the coach because you guys have jammed me up so badly then something then the players there's got to be a jolt to the players you made the point it's one of the other

you do nothing or you make a trade or I guess you fire the coach, right? Well, and again, listen, I'm not, I'm not absolving the players, far from it. Yeah. And Matthews in particular, and Matthews, Neelander, Tavaris, and Riley. I would look at those four. The longest standing veteran guys, they've all struggled this year.

And especially the last month and especially the last week since Perube called them out. That's on them. They got to own that. And now, that's the point I was making even when I brought up the Florida stuff. You get into this year, your veterans, your leaders, your legacies on the line. and this is how you're performing. It's a horrible look for the players. Dugie brought up an interesting point. I don't know if it means anything,

but to my knowledge, they haven't even had a players-only meeting. They typically announce those things. But the media knows that they've had it. Again, maybe they had it during a practice. After games, the classics stay out of the room. We're talking. It has it, like, and that's on Matthews to do it. Does Matthews have it in him to say,

I'm closing the doors, everyone get out, and we're blasting into each other here, and we're going to snap out of this. I don't know if he can do that. I don't know if that's in his DNA. Let me present something to you guys. Do you think these conversations have been had behind closed doors as far as Austin Matthews

and William Nayland are going, I don't like the style that you want us to play? Maybe. I don't know. You would know better than us noodles in terms of the inner workings of like behind us. I think that's a factor too, though. But what I'm saying is that, well, okay,

so what I'm saying is, Sheldon Keefe had more of a puck possession style, right? And it seemed to suit. But keep in mind, he had Mitch Marner, who was driving a lot of play, a lot of play. And that's a big loss. But what I'm saying is, if Austin Matthews or William Nealander, these guys, we're talking about it for 20 minutes, these guys are living it. You don't think they're looking for solutions? They've probably had these meetings with the coaches one-on-one.

They've had the meetings as a team at a dinner. That's the point, noodles. Like, that's the point. Nothing has changed. We're 33 games in the season. It's the same thing. So that comes back to my original comment. Is the expectation for this group too high?

Well, ultimately, based on the way they played, it probably has. But the question or the answer that matters is not the three of us or any fans or media. The answer that matters is what does the owner think? What does Keith Pally think? What does Brad Tree Living think? Correct. Because those are the guys that actually are going to be moving and shaking. here because they are dealing

there's you know it's brewing in the in the marketplace right now like Jonas you wrote about them not selling out games like they're not selling out game there's a lot of apathy right now there's a lot of people that are very frustrated with this team with this product the brand is taking a hit that goes

all the way up to the top yes right that's where you that's when it gets to the owner that's when and the owner is riding high right now because he owns the jays and the jays they got 100% approval rating right he doesn't want his rep to take shots with what's going on here. Keith Pally's looking at this saying, man, I was in charge of getting this over the top.

It's going south for the first time in 10 years. So, and listen, the reality is, noodles to answer your question, it might be in their best interest. I don't know if they have the stomach for this, to have a season where they just reset. Do you know what the problem with that is? Do what Boston did last year. Sell pieces, acquire prospects and picks

and get dead money off your cap and try to reset and go back out of it. it next year. Isn't it too early to do that though right now? I think it's a too early and they won't do it, but I'm saying that could be the direction they're going in. But the problem with that is their team is old. So is Boston. Yeah, but they're not like they're trying to win a cup. Are they not? If you're not trying to win a cup. This team's not winning anything. Then what are we do? What are they doing here? I guess that just answered the question. What are they doing? Because again, like we referenced

Edmonton all the time, right? Edmonton, they had a horrible start just as bad as the leaf. They were awful. Worse. Look at them. now. And noodles, you kept saying those guys have the DNA where you can trust them. Because you can. McDavid and Dry Sutter. You say what you want about Bouchard. He's been great recently. New Jim Hopkins, Hyman.

These guys don't have the same DNA. Oh, man. I don't want to hear DNA. It's the reality, Jonas. They haven't proven their winners. You're right. Like, it's 10 years, man. You're not on an entry level deal where you say, I believe

it. You know, a couple of tweaks. So you've got to Let's let them go through some lessons. But you're locked into it. These are old players in the league. You are locked into it. There's no way out. You got to retool. What you're saying, though, Jonas, and it's like, okay, the way out has changed the coach.

So, you know, that's, that's. If you're not considering that right now, I don't know what you're watching. Listen, I'm not. Not you. I mean them. I think everything's on the table because when you do a forensic audit of any team, you go, what can be better? but I just tried to lay it out

I think there's so many things that can be better is there one piece that needs to drop that may spark other things I don't know the easy thing would be like hey the coach and here but I also the easy thing would be

can I get one of my goalies back which would start can I get one of my I mean I look at that defensive core yeah but noodles like I can even when they were healthy you can go across the league but would you

if you're Keith Pelly if you're Edward Rogers, would you allow Bradshire living to come into your offense and say, I have a trade? Let's say it's Ross Ms. Anderson. They're always connected to him. Really good player, good defense. But let me finish. Yeah, sorry. And it's going to cost you this prospect, that prospect and this pick. If your ownership, and based on what you see right now, would you allow him to do that? Well, and if you're not allowing him, then why is he in charge? I would because a player like that might change the dynamic of everything.

I don't know about that. Here's Troy Stetcher. You guys are writing articles about Troy Stetcher being amazing at 22 minutes and the same. Well, how did Edmonton let this guy go? He's a seven. He's a six, seven. For sure. Rasmus Anderson, at worst, is a two.

Yeah. Run your power play and be a one-timer from there and be a better, better defenseman on the power play than anybody on that roster. Correct? Am I wrong on that? Listen, the power play is a big issue. But I guess, you know, if you go in that direction, these are all hypothetical. But if you did it, then what you're saying is we're all in cup window still. Like that's, you're like, we can get back in it, we can get in the race, we can get in the dance,

and we can win because we're going to give away prospects and pick something they have nothing of right now. That's part of the problem. What are you trading for him? And the other thing is like, do you really think they're Rasmus Anderson away from a great team? I don't know. I'll answer my own question. I'm not letting them do it. I think it'd be a fireable offense if you even pitched that idea right.

right now. This team is a mess at this point. You can't add, and they have no picks, they have no prospects. You can't add a 30-year-old. And then you're going to have to sign him, too. And then sign them. Like, you're just going deeper into the abyss. You can't do it. But what I'm saying is,

I didn't say they were one player away, but that's a start. That's a better, that's an upgrade. Like, that's a significant Yes, he is an upgrade. Significant. For sure. And to me, that makes your team more balanced in certain areas.

You reference the Oilers. I don't want to bring them up all that. You've referenced. The trade for Matthias Ekholm changed the dynamic of that whole back end for that group because it took some responsibility from Darnell Nurse off and it settled Bouchard down. So what I'm talking about, a trade, whether player X, player Y, sometimes balances out things. That could help. I'm not saying, we use the word cup here.

I'm talking playoff team and playing to what they're capable. This is a better team than what we're seeing. But I don't. It's not this bad. But you know what? I don't think it, I don't know what that is. You talk about expectation. We know the expectation from the team.

Keith Pelley said it in May. It was to win a cup. Like he basically said anything short of a, I think, did you say conference final or cup? I don't remember. Whatever it was, it was longer in the playoffs than they've lasted. So those are the expectations. I think he said, internally. yes. No, externally. He said it.

Well, no, I understand it, but he runs whatever the goals and aspirations are within MLSC. I think this is a fantastic chat. Like, I love this. There's so many layers. Thank you, Noodles. I don't think there's one right answer. It's a lot of things for my comment on our conversation. You guys are doing great.

We're going to start doing this more at the end of every segment. That was a great segment. That was a great. No, but I just, I love this because what it is is it's in a down cycle right now. Yeah, they're in a dark place. We could go, they'd won three in a row or one four of six or whatever. It's like, okay, what do you do?

What do you know? So right now, it's a dark thing, but do you be patient? Do you see, okay, big win in Nashville tomorrow all of a sudden you go into Dallas? They better win in Nashville. There's lots of trap games out there. Knowing this group, they lose the Nashville and beat Dallas somehow. Wouldn't be shocking, but they better beat Nashville. All right.

Mike Johnson coming up in half an hour. The thing is, National Assembly, well, we better beat these guys. Like, it's going, it's a two-way street. Johnny and half an hour, Luke coming up. The least are noodle-sson, unfortunately, noodles. They're Luke Wilson. But that was ridiculous last night. What a cover, what a call by HBO.

Catch up with Luke and get the picks next. Mail it in Friday, brought to you by Boston Pizza's NFL game day menu. Stop by your local BP for $7 touchdown pints, dialed in shareables, and weekly prizing up for grabs. Football game days are better at BP. All right, overdrive continues. Powered by Bandool. Bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score. We're up on YouTube live.

And the beauty of the game last night was the Leafs were brutal, but then you got to flip over to the football game, and that was a game of the year last night. What a game. There's Luke, how you feeling, man? Your Seahawks get a big win. They're in charge of the NFC West, but HBO with one of the great picks of the season last night.

I'll be honest the reasons you gave for that pick you guys were so far off everything you said the polar opposite happened the horseshoe that you've got stuck you know where right now is outrageous the idea

and it's funny because I'm sitting on Jay's desk and I'm Sam Donald's driving the field and I'm shaking my head and he's like what's going on I'm like they're going to go for two before I think Herbstre said it before he said it I'm like they got nothing to

gain here by a tie nothing to gain by a tie like they'll still be I'm like they're going to go for two and I'm jammed either way I respected my stomach I'll tell you what the reversal of Sam Darnold like a couple picks early in the group chat reversal because he was seeing ghosts and I thought that's the guy we predicted and to his credit man he stayed in there even that two point conversion like you know that he had to get off his block and you know how it goes Luke man that clock is Hicking, man. He must have been thinking this his pocket's closing on me, but he hung in and he slung it.

Full credit to Darnold. Like, is that enough for you now to believe, okay, this guy can lead a playoff charge for Seattle? Not yet. You know, I think it was a great step in the right direction, but you look, Hayes, and where I get a little word with Sam

is, beyond the two picks, you know, I thought it was more telling when they were tied in overtime. Like, there was a third, and seven. There's a first down he just misses JSN. It would have been a big play, explosive play. There's a third and seven, I think around three minutes and change

left in the game. It's a tie game. And I'm like, all right, like, here we go. You know, it's a big play. And Kubiak, the OC, dials up a wide receiver screen. And I was sitting there and I'm like, there's no, like they just don't feel super comfortable with them. One of the things Seattle had going last night was their run game.

You know, they rushed for 171, which Seattle has not been an efficient run. team this year. So like, do I feel good if Sam Darnold is, you know, in a situation where he's going to push the ball down the field consistently? No, he had a great drive in overtime, and I love that. I thought the throw to Cooper Cup was maybe the best throw of the night. The Matthew Stafford, no look to Puka was pretty special. But the throw to Cooper Cup was cover two, was perfectly placed, unbelievable. So that overdrive, overtime drive, he deserves all of credit. But am I feeling

like super at ease vote Sam Darnel? As a Seahawk fan, I'm not. I'm definitely not wildly comfortable with them. So just quick follow up on that. Is Seattle, like, are they for real? Like, are they, you know, do you feel like this is a team that

maybe is it just destiny? Like, can they get there? Or what do you make of them? You know, if you're looking at yesterday's game noodles as like an objective viewpoint. They were insanely lucky to win that game. They were outgained by a lot. They stopped the run in the second half.

Yes, so that was probably the bright spot. The first half, they got gash in the run game. Stafford looked like he was playing against a college team out there. I mean, he did whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. His numbers were through the roof. They didn't create a turnover. They turned the ball over three times. The Rams missed a kick.

It was the most quirky, strange two-point conversion that hit somebody in the head. Everybody let the ball down. Seattle picked it up and got credit for it. You know, the list goes on, and I thought the Rams had some bad drops of bad times. Parkinson had one that I thought would have changed the game. So to answer your question, I think Seattle's very, very fortunate to get a win there. That being said, I've said it all year on the show. I think the Rams might be the best team in the NFL.

And I certainly think that Stafford solidified the MVP last night and barring anything, like. Yeah. In a loss. I mean, boys. Josh Allen, I think it's. Well, here's a. Come on, guys. Come on.

He was great. He's got the number one receiver. He's leading the league in passing and will be after this week. Leading a league in touchdown. He only has five picks. Leading a second in QBR. Yeah, he's been great. He cannot not give it to him.

He's been great. He's been great. A lot of three in outs. when they needed more last night in the second half, but still yet he's got poop and a coup and I put the tinfoil hat on and this guy cannot help himself.

Like he tweets out right after the game and then immediately deletes it. Can you say I was wrong? Appreciate you stripes for your contribution, L.O.L. Building off his comments on that stream where he said, refs are basically throwing flags just to get TV time. This guy cannot help himself

yet he's unbelievable. Like 200 plus yards. He catches everything. he's tough as nails. He's got an attitude. He's got a chip on his shoulder. I love watching him play. I'd be worried if I'm Stafford, like the league just is going to hate the Rams. And if you're McVeigh, you've got to figure this guy out because you need him. He's got to play. But he's putting a serious, serious target on your back because he can't help himself with social media and streams and stupid comments about the refs.

It is very dumb. You know, like, you just, it's so unnecessary. Like, what is point and then you delete it a second layer like what is the point of that and you said it where it's like you know i'd hate that like the idea that he gets suspended for a game or you know they find a bunch of money he's disgruntled or god forbid one of these refs does like consciously come out here and say like hey we're going to really call puka tough because of everything he's saying i don't know if they think that way but my goodness man it is uh it just seems like that that just struck me as very childish.

Yeah, I would agree. I would agree. Uh-oh. Call me out. Now, if you want a maturity boost, you go to Al's brother. Right? Alice Brother, Sean McVeigh should fly you in and have a little sit down with Pooka and would you be willing to accept that?

Would you get paid in sports cards? How would you get paid? I would do this. Okay. I would do this. Absolutely. And Pook and Akua, it's such a shame. Because I honestly think Puka might be the best receiver in the NFL.

And, you know, the performance he put on last night. And I don't know if you guys had a chance to listen. That's not insane. We got to stop. It's not insane. The guy did 12 for 225 and two tuds. Are you kidding me? Stop.

An unbelievable game last night. We've got to bring this up. This is Cara Wagland's M.O. Kara Waglin is on a war path to say Puka is the best receiver in the NFL. Because he is. He, he, okay, okay, Alisbro. You're a stats guy. Who has better stats this year?

JSA or Pooka Nakuua? JASN has more yards than Pooka Naku. Pucanakua missed a game and a half, I might add, though, but leading before the injury, I'm pretty sure he was on pace down. Who's got a better quarterback? Who's got a better quarterback? He also is fighting with Devonte Adams for targets and yards. Who else is Jackson Smith and Jigma fighting for?

How about one of the most conservative offenses in the NFL that is a run-first, run heavy offense. They barely have passing attempts. It's not even comparable. You have the MVP throwing this guy of the ball. All due respect to Puka, he's a top five guy. But it's recency bites. You'd come out here and say he's the best receiver in the NFL.

You tell me, so if you're a GM right now and Matthew Stafford's on your team, you haven't filled out a wide receiver yet, you're going to take Puka over Jemar Chase? Yeah, I honestly think that would. No, I honestly think I would. That's why you're a buffoon. A receiver was stronger hand, stickier

hands he can run routes his body control is unbelievable i honestly go check my twitter go check my twitter it was about eight 851 p.m. last night i think he had it was his first catch of the game maybe second catch of the game and i tweeted out he made an unbelievable contested grab and i'm like this guy is my wide receiver one strongest stickies hands in the game and then he went off for two hundred twenty five later on that but the idea that he's being outperformed by somebody this season that it has a much worse situation, has a much worse offense to plan, has a much worse quarterback to plan, and every meaningful category is outperforming them. Yards per catch, touchdowns, totally yards, everything, J.S.N. outperforms him, but because

you don't watch the out or now watching ball, you're just like, Pook is the best, Pook is the best. So who's the best? It's ridiculous. It's a ridiculous thing. Who's the best? Are we talking about talent? absolutely talent i would put jefferson at one but he's in the worst situation on oh but go look at the stats

where's jefferson sitting nowhere close to those guys what are we talking about and i would put jimar at one c after that comes now this is where it gets real tricky is george pickens me as a talent is probably up there when he tries but i'm convinced he tries 20% of the time so that really is a gray area guy for me Now you talk about seedy lambs in the next conversation.

Pook is obviously in there as well. I'm on St. Brown is in there. Here's another one for you. A.J. Brown. A.J. Brown has played in Tennessee and in Philly. He's never had it. Could you imagine A.J. Brown in the situation that Pooka's in right now? You'd be talking about sticky hands.

It would be blowing your mind. And I'll finish with this. Okay. Matthew Stafford turned Cooper Cup into a triple. crown winner. He's still a stud. As soon as he leaves, Cooper Cubs fit average. He's had injury problems. He's had huge

injury problems. You're right. He's had a great year, but he's got injury probably. You've got to admit it. He's had injury problems. We all go to admit, Al's brother needs to be at the Combine. Independent Scout, all 32 GMs can chime in on him. We need him with a clipboard and a stopwatch at the Combine. All right, we got a rapid fire here. I'm

Pooka, first round grade. I remember that and I'll never forget it. All right, you guys are on the cloud. We got a really rapid fire here, because we got into Alice Brothers combine notes and now we're way off track. You guys were Eagles minus 7 at the commanders. Shoot. Commanders. We're taking

the commanders at home. I think the Eagles have a bit of a slowdown game here. I expect the Eagles to win, but I don't like seven points within the division. Dan Quinn will get the guys going. We'll take the commanders with seven points a gift. I love it, Al's brother. The drive for 25 still alive.

Hazenbroke, Bears, Packers, toughest game of the week. Bears laying one and a half at home where do you stand on this house brother yeah you know i i think we got to take the points here and go with your pack hayes i mean they won by a touchdown a week ago and it was a very close game and i get it no micha parsons but you look at the bears they're missing some key weapons no roma dunes a no luther burden and you look at them they're going to want to try to run the ball you look at the pack number four rush defense and football so i think they can slow down that offense and i think that they can win this game probably so i'll i think taking the points getting

points with the pack and how often does Green Bay go into the Bears and slap them silly in their own barn? This is a massive game. It's just like the game we saw last night. Now we are not taking the home team, but we are going to take the points here, which is what we did last night. We covered. I could see this being a one-point game. We're on the Packers. All right, Bucks at Panthers. Bucks laying three. You guys are on the clock. Noodles, I'm going to be honest with you.

I really like the Bucks here, but the Bucks have also found ways. They're inventing ways to not cover this year. But I think we ride with Bakeover Bryce Young. I really do. But Noodles, if you feel like Bryce Young is your guy, I'll gladly switch, but I like Baker.

I like Baker, too. I think Baker's to play. Lock it in. Okay. The bucks have jammed almost everyone in the last month and a half. Everybody. You're laying in points bucks out of Panthers. They have just been destroying people. We've been on the wrong side of it multiple times.

It's sickening. If they lose, that Todd Bulls press conference after This game is going to be incredible. He'll be... I mean, you thought last week he had choice words? He'll be snapping. All right. Lions minus six and a half against the Steelers.

Huge game. Huge game. Yeah. It just seems too high of a number. Like, I think the Lions can win this game, but to win by a touchdown, I think, is a little egregious. They've only covered one of the last four games here.

There's two teams going in opposite directions. The Steelers, they finally got something cooking here with Rodgers and D.K. This Lions team super depleted. in the secondary. They're giving up over 300 yards in the air over the last four weeks. They're giving up 32 points a game. So I think it'll be high scoring. I think the Lions ultimately win the game, but by

a touchdown, I just don't see it happening. I'm with you. I think we take the points here. I think you take the points. Aaron Rogers loves Ford Field. Love, very familiar, very comfortable at Ford Field. He's slinging it right now. You put him indoors. He's going to have some zip on that ball on Sunday night.

We're taking a point. Steelers plus six and a half. All right, the Monday nighter now, I believe, right? It's the Monday nighter, Ravens Pats, because we're all going to be off. Sunday Nighter. Sunday Nighter. Sorry, Ravens Pass, Sunday Nighter. All right, I'm all mixed up because of the Saturday games. Ravens minus two and a half against New England. This is a lay-up.

Noodles. I'm going to put the ball in your court here a little bit, man. I'm going to give you. So the natural pick here is New England. I'll be honest with you, I think New England is. But when you go on Fanduel, and this is what I'm learning now. If you take New England at plus two and a half, they're actually giving you plus money. This is on Fanduil Canada.

If you take the Ravens at minus two and a half, it's minus 122. So the books actually think the Ravens are going to cover this number. It's very, it's not super rare, but usually it's minus 110, minus 110. The books think the Ravens cover this. Is this a trap game? I was shocked that the Ravens are even favorites. I think it's a bit of a trap game. I do.

I think the Ravens need it. Lock it in. It's in Baltimore. It's a very, it might be the hardest pick of the week. It's the hardest pick of the week. It's tough one, man. Go with the Ravens then. Go with the Ravens.

Patriots could be a little sleepy, right? You know, feeling pretty good about themselves. I don't see it, man. Coming off a loss. Rabel's going to have that team cooking, man. They got to win. I think you guys are everything. I love, I got to win to keep their doing a lot.

Take the Ravens. Are we overtaking it? This is Galvestigraning. Drive from 25. What do you think? What do you want to go, Pat, Pat, then? Take the Pats. Let Jonas weigh in for five seconds.

The Pats of the pick. You know the Pats of the pick. Come on. Come on. You know that's the right decision. Okay. Pats of the Pats. It's the Pats.

Walk it in. Okay. Watch it in. I love it. I love being on the Ravens. Harbaugh and a must win at home. Undefeated. Never loses those games.

Lamar's got a new leg. He's ready to play. Thank you, Jonas. Steelers is going to lose by a field goal. They'll cover the number, but lose the game. And all of a sudden, it's wide open. The reins get right back into this thing. We need.

We need to have some luck on a weekend here. That was, last night was unlucky. That was a weird. That was a crazy game. When they went for two, you just knew it. Enrages. All right, boys. Great seeing you guys.

Have yourselves a great weekend. We'll catch on the group chat. Now's brother, send us more player reports, please. We need more details. We'll do. We'll have you at Lucas Oil. I thought we had a great chat. I thought we had a great chat, a great segment.

Thank you. I thought it was terrific. Thank you. Yeah, it was a great. Thank you. I just, I know Kara's feeding you info. Kara should come on here and defend Pooka next. time, not you.

We'll get her into the new year. Karen knows ball. What do we, what do you got to say? Karen knows ball. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that. All right. See you, boys.

There's Al's brother and Luke Wilson. Get the hell out of here. Enough. All right. Mike Johnson coming up. Dear Hazy B. Overdrive continues. T.S.N. 1050 and up on YouTube live. Mail it in Friday, brought you by Boston

Pizza's NFL game day menu. Stop by your local BP for $7 touchdown pines. styled in shareables and weekly prizes up for grabs. Football games are better at BP. Huge weekend of football. football, big weekend of hockey. It's going to be a great weekend. And MJ will join us in the next hour to look back on the Leafs game last night. What we can expect from them this weekend. Oilers are red hot. Lots, lots going on in the NFL. Winnipeg and Colorado tonight. And Deer Hayes will be coming up in the final hour as well. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. You've been listening to Overdrive, powered by Fandul. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Do you hear what I hear?

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