OverDrive - OverDrive - January 2, 2026 - Hour 1 - Luke Willson

Episode Date: January 2, 2026

Join Michael DiStefano and Keegan Matheson for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Blue Jays' offseason outlook, the sweepstakes around Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker, the timeline of a signing and how the team is built for the 2026 season, Auston Matthews leading the Maple Leafs to a win against Winnipeg, chasing the Maple Leafs' goals record and the franchise's possible turnaround. TSN NFL Analyst Luke Willson on the Week 18 headlines, the Ravens and Steelers in the spotlight and the NFL picks. 

European flavor. How would you describe it? Rich, savory, hearty? How about yummy? Yummy Market is your destination for authentic European foods. From comfort foods and artisan baked bread to decadent cakes and pastries. Yummy Market's skilled chefs prepare everything from scratch, honoring generations of traditional European recipes. They also stock a vast selection of rare European groceries. Yummy Market, a European food experience. In North York at 4,400 Dufferin Street, and Vaughn at 1390 Major McKenzie, east of Dufferin. dot com for their holiday menu Toronto is TSN 1050

an IHeart radio station and the voice of Toronto sports Is this a what is this? It's mail it in Friday. Yeah well to do the binds. This is Overdrive

with Hayes, Noodles and the O'Dog on TSN 1050. Overdrive off and running on a mail-it-in Friday edition of the show. Brought to you by Boston Pizza's NFL game day menu. Stop by your local BP for $7 touchdown pines, dialed in shareables, and weekly prizing up for grabs, Football game days are better at BP. Mike DeSephano filling in for Brian Hayes.

We got Keegan Matheson of MLB.com with us. Contributor here at TSN. What's happened, pal? Happy New Year. Happy New Year. We've got to figure out who I'm filling in for. I need to know which energy. I think O'Dog Energy with a sprinkling of noodles here.

What does that entail? I feel like I need to undo a button. I need to get that smoking jacket O'Dog hat on down to the World Juniors. I love it. O-Dog has a lot of nice jackets, too. Have you seen the one, his alumni jacket that he got made for himself? Oh, yeah. I love the description already.

He's got a great little emblem. He rocks it down at Leaf Games. It looks pretty good, I'll say. Like, I wish I had one. I can tell you that. But it looks pretty good. He's got a nice lining inside. But I think you can bring an O-Dog-level performance today.

I'm expecting it, pal. I like it. I'm in. But, man, happy New Year. First show back of the New Year. happy to be here get anything wild behave yourself i behaved myself on new year's eve doogie i here did not behave himself he had a night on the town he was down on king west ripping it up doing his thing said he got a little bit too frisky with the alcohol but he's here he's ready to go on

january second and so are we although jan too like what's it like as uh as an melb reporter on january second because boy it's it's been a little while since we've had some big news but like getting pretty close to pitchers and catchers reporting here in what, like four or five, six weeks or so. Like, it's going to come quick. We are, man, a little too quick. Yeah, my flight down to Dunedin, Florida's February 10th,

I think. And that big, beautiful, when I really want to feel depressed, I open up my hotel app, and I look at that 44-night hotel reservation down in Florida. It beats being here. But I think I'm, this is the year. I think that I'll go over the line

of having spent a year of my life in the same hotel. And when they start, start to greet you by name and, Egan, welcome back. Yeah, that's a little tough on me. But January 2, man, it's come so quickly this year because normally I'm sitting on the couch

for all of October because I've covered two playoff games that went terribly. That's all I've ever known. I started covering the Blue Jays in 2017, so I was the kiss of death for a while, man. Then they go on this run and that month is cut out.

Mentally, I still thought it was coming. And then boom, Shane Bieber has picked up his office. What the hell do you mean, Shane? Beaver's picked up his option. My suitcase is still unpacked, right? So it's been interesting. Happy to be here today. Just to have a reason to put on pants.

Clean up the beard, cut the hair. I mean, my goodness. It is that time of year. Really that time of year. Yeah, you put on pants maybe, I don't know, what, three times, four times in between, you know, when you first start your Christmas holidays, you know, in the, what, December 21st, second, whenever you start them until,

I guess today, like on the Friday, and then come, Monday, everyone's kind of back to work, back to school, back to life. But in between, like, these two weeks, it's, it's like today's a Friday, but because there was no, you know, there's no work yesterday, it was a holiday, really feels almost like it's a Monday in a way. It's a very bizarre Friday, I would say. But lots to get into, lots to get into. I mean, speaking of baseball, there was that report yesterday about Boba Chet, drawing

some interest from some teams, the Yankees, the Dodgers, Blue Jays still firmly in there talks with Bo Bichette, like, how how serious do you think those discussions are at this point with the Dodgers, Yankees? And, you know, does that mean the Jays might have to start get going here if they want to bring it back or what? How do you see

this whole thing playing out? Baseball offseason, baby. It's a real thrill ride. Don't I wish that we could do the July 1 thing where I could come in here and sit in a suit like we do NHL style? And then I disappear for three months. But the MLB off season is a slow burn. it always is, and I think this one more than usual,

and I think that Bo captures that better than anyone, because Bo is not just a good player. I think he's a player that does still have a range of values. Now, if 10 teams like Bo Bichette, from number one to number 10, that's a big, big, big gap. Kyle Tucker, I think people agree that he's just really damn good, and he's going to keep being good, and he's going to age pretty well. And Alex Bregman, he's a little older,

that's a smaller pocket, you know who he is. I think there's a lot of debate of who Bobeshett is and who he will be. Now, I'm a big believer in Boba Shett. I always will be, but I think that free agency is about poking holes and guys. That's why players should probably be as uninvolved in their own free agency as possible. Yeah. Because other teams, like imagine if one of us was looking for a job and we went company to company and they said, you know what, Kiggin, I don't like how your body's going to age one bit.

I say, listen, me either. Fair enough. We didn't have to say that out loud now, did we? So I think that that is what Bichette's market could be running into right now. But I think across the board, when you look at the big names, Bichet, Tucker, Bregman, and I'd even add Belyinger into that. Yeah. I think all of these teams with money are sitting there waiting for one of them

to do what Bregman did last year, which is take that shorter-term deal with some opt-outs. Similar to what Tatsia Emi just did with the Astros. It's not nearly as much money as we thought it'd get. But he keeps some control and keeps some power by having opt-ups. out. Everyone's waiting for that to happen, especially the Dodgers. Damn, they're really hoping that happens. But until that happens, everyone's playing this game of chicken and nothing changes. Now, we hear a bunch of BS about how there's somebody in the lead. There are no leaders in free agency. It doesn't work like that. I promise you that this is not a slow bidding

war. It's a slow understanding of where the money is. And then at the end, boom, it's a race, put your bids on the table, or beat it. It's not something where there's a leader who stays in first place for a week. But you're going to keep hearing these names because, you know, baseball media needs to fill space. And I know that I'm part of that. I don't always love how it works. But, man, Bichette, it remains the most fascinating option to me because if he does not come back to Toronto, regardless of how that works, even if Tucker comes to Blue Jays. Yep. I think being in the A.L. East is a big possibility for Bob Bichette. I know nobody's going to want to hear. No one wants to hear that. The Yankees, the Red Sox.

Even the Dodgers now, after what they just did to Toronto in the World Series. Dodgers might as well be in the ALE East. Just go all the good teams together. It's still going to hurt. No one wants to see Bo Bichette's eye and with any of those teams, but it's very likely. I mean, those are teams who can open their wallets, to open the checkbooks and ultimately do have holes in the middle of their infield to place a guy like Bo Bichette on their team.

So it makes a lot of sense that they have interest there. But I guess when you look at Bichette, Kyle Tucker, I mean, those are the two guys, clue, the Blue Jays want to add to their lineup. I mean, what's the likelihood we see something happen with one or both? Is it still an option to have both those guys? or at this point is it, the J's, like, which would be their top option, do you think? Would it be Tucker or would it be Bo Bichette right now?

Tucker. All Tucker. Yeah. And Tucker's the better player. I know there's nostalgia for Bo Bichette, and I get that. Like, I've covered Bo's whole career, and I respect the hell out of Bo. I love covering Bo because that's kind of a game within a game of itself. You know, getting Bo to play his cards a little bit.

He's very reserved, but he's a fascinating ball player. But Kyle Tucker's the better player. Now, that's going to come with more money. Would you rather Tucker or would you rather Bo plus a couple other things? Maybe that's the comparison here. But the both arguments, I know, just the word both is Blue Jays fans' favorite word this offseason. They want both. I would argue that Dylan Cease is one of this.

It just happens so early. And listen, by no way am I saying that enough has happened at all. That's never, I never want to be that guy. But you got the best starter on the market. the most interesting mid-range starter, in my opinion, in Ponce. And then with Rogers, a guy who could end up being the best reliever, the best relief season, might not have the saves, but he's so damn good. So that's a fantastic start.

If they get one, and I fully expect them to get one of this remaining group, that is one of the best off-seasons in Blue Jays history. It's the best off-season anybody's going to have. And I keep coming back to Bo as the variable. And the reason I believe in Bo is because I, think that he can change. Bo who he is right now. Fantastic. Good enough. I think that Bo, as his athleticism potentially drops off like we've already seen, I think he can morph into a power hitter as he gets older. He is as versatile a hitter and can adjust. If you told him to hit

left-handed, he'd find a way to bat 200 next year. Well, you saw what he was to do when he was, obviously, you know, didn't have the capabilities to be the athlete that he was throughout the world series. You kind of saw the power numbers start to pick up where it was like, hey, I can't can't do, you know, I can't, I can't, I can't hit doubles. So I'm going to smack a home run in game seven, because I can't, I can't get to second base. I'm going to jaunt four bags instead. And like, you saw that. And it was a few, it's been a few years since we've seen that power from Boba Shep, but in the playoffs when he came back, you know, it was clearly there. And I, I'm excited to see if he ends up come back to the Blue Jays, you know, what he's able to do,

if he can remain healthy all, you know, all season. And if the Blue Jays can continue and just pick up where they left off and see what this year has in store. Like we always talk about what's on the horizon, right? Like we're 2026 now. The 2025 Blue Jays, it was tremendous. It's going to be very difficult to beat the 25 Blue Jays. Realistically, the only way to do it is to win one more game at the end of the season. And I think when you look at what they've done this off season,

they put themselves in good position to have that opportunity. But one of those two, whether it's bringing back Bow or making that. that big, that big money deal to bring in Kyle Tucker, I mean, that's really going to set you up for that opportunity to best the 2025 results. And I'm still on the spot where you need to do that. Like when I say that they've done a great job already, cool, great, but you need to do more. Especially since you look around the Major League baseball and you just see, there seems to be some hesitancy around the league right now.

And with the impending, you know, potential strike in a couple of years, seems like owners are tightening those wallets at a time where the Blue Jays seem to be loosening their wallets and willing to write the big checks. I mean, take advantage. Strike while you don't have as many, you know, competitors, you know, battling for these top guys. The Yankees are sitting at the kids table right now. And they're announcing to the rest of the room

that they're comfortable at the kids table right now. Which is a wild thing to think about it. Ridiculous. Yeah. Okay, they've got cash. Come on. Don't try to kid me. The Blue Jays are just acting like you should.

Hey, we went on a postseason run. Our owner has a bunch of cash. We're going to act like we have a bunch of cash. And there's a right way to do that. I think they're nailing it. But when you look around the rest of the division, the East is going to be a nightmare again. So I think you need to go out and add one more big one.

I expect they will because part of this, and this is baseball pessimism coming back in, but I got to loosen up for spring training by being pessimistic about stuff. Is George Springer going to have a year like that again? I don't know. Probably falls off a little bit. A little bit.

Are all of those depth pieces going to perform like they did in such a timely manner again? Is the rotation going to have perfect, health again. That's a whole bunch of, I don't know. And I'm not predicting they are going to get torpedoed, but I'm saying that you can't expect everything to go right like it did last year. So I think that it's not just about getting back to where they were. It's about reaching higher than that. And they've got the cash to do it. When you have the cash, you don't get to save it for a year. People find other ways to spend that stuff. It goes somewhere else.

When you have it, spend it. My God, the Blue Jays have it. They are still one. I won't go as far as both, but I think one more big move left. One more big move left. We'll see if they can get it done at some point here. We're, like I said, five, six weeks away from spring training. So there's still some time for Atkins and company to figure it out. But hopefully when you check into that hotel, that one big move has been made. Big win for the Maple Leafs last night, you know, down 4-1.

It was 4-1, Kegan. And they came all the way back, Stormback, and beat the Jets 6-5. And regulation picked up a valuable two points. But the story of that game was, you know, the vintage performance of Austin Matthews, right? New Year, old Matthews, I mean, puts up his first hat trick that this season got a big-time assist, wins a puck battle down low on the game, the game tying goal from Troy Stetcher. And overall, so I put the team on my back, I got you guys. And it was a tremendous performance and one that a lot of Lee fans have been waiting for, you know,

for virtually two years. I mean, like, we've been waiting to see this guy pull, out a performance like that where he truly dominates a game and takes over shift after shift after shift. I think we saw that last night. Hopefully that's a sign of good things to come in 2026 for the Leaves. I hope so and it's so obvious with Matthews,

right? You don't need a full game. You don't need the daddy. You can watch a minute of him and you see that style of him being back. You see him winning one-on-one battles, separating guys from the puck. You see him going with power back into the center of the ice into the heart of these scoring areas that he hasn't been doing. And the

play has looked, when I say, uninspired. I don't mean a lack of effort. That's not my place to say. But I don't see that same burst and that same explosiveness from him lately. Now it's back. And that's when you can start to dream on the Leafs again. I don't mean as the best team in hockey, but I mean as a team that has a pulse because coming into this recent stretch for Austin Matthews out of the holiday break where he's looked like a different player, he's looked like himself again. He was starting to feel like a star that was just out of gas, that was not in the decline, but it already reached his apex, you know? It seemed like it for sure.

I mean, like last year was not a great season. You thought, okay, it's a down year. Hopefully you can start off this season, kind of put that to the rear view and away we go. And it hasn't. It was just as slowest start this year as it was last year. He was on pace for similar goal totals. You know, at Christmas on pace for like 33, 32 goals, like not what we're expecting out of Austin Matthews. But then all of a sudden, you look at the last three games.

Again, he did miss a game in there as well in between. So he's only played three since coming back from Christmas, but he had three points against Ottawa. He got an assist against Detroit. Now a four-point-night hat-trick performance in a big comeback win against the Winnipeg Jets. You blink, he's got four goals, eight points in his last three games. And that's what we saw from Austin Matthews back in 22, 23.

And that's what the Mapleys need. That's what they need from him. and if this is what they can get on a more consistent basis, they're going to be in a much better position. And now the only two points have a playoff spot. So, like, you look at it ever since, you know, they made the change, they fired Mark Savard. I'm not saying he was the problem,

but it seemed like that jolted the team because since then, they have a point in each of the five games since that moment, and they've won four of the five. So they've played much better hockey as a group, as a team overall. The power plays clicking. with a five for 11, I think, since firing Mark Savard. They've now the power play in four straight games. I mean, look, they were in dead last, their power play ranked dead last prior to the coaching change.

I know it's a small sample size, just, you know, four or five games, but it's now first place in that five game stretch. Operating at 45 and a half percent. Like, it's amazing what a little bit of confidence can do for you. I think confidence is big because it's not just Matthews. I mean, last night there was a bunch of guys who stepped up. I thought Max Domey was playing with a little bit of pizzazz. I mean, Matthias Machiazschelli had a big goal in the game, really snapped it. Like, when have we seen Matthias Micelli?

Look that lethal with the puck in his hands, making a couple nice passes. So it's not just Matthews who is really starting to pick up his game and get going. You know, Matthew Nyes had started to play well a lot more recently. So it's nice to see the team as a whole really starting to get going here. And you look at their 2026 outlook now, and it's like, okay, maybe this is a playoff team if they continue to give these types of efforts for the rest of the season. Contagious

and it's never more contagious than when the face of your franchise really gives a damn and says, you know what, we're not going to have this sloppy loss. A win like that that's messy and dirty and sloppy often means more than that dominant

7 to 1 win where you just skate a team right out of the rink. And seeing that from Matthews, I think was so energizing for everyone else. On that last goal, who was on the forecheck? Cowan? I think down near the net. Like that is like the result.

Baroube was probably lighting a cigarette on the bench. Like that's just his dream. You know, that type of play is his dream. And for all to talk about Barube, I feel like we're getting a little bit closer, maybe inch by inch to the team that he's envisioning, a team that plays like that. Well, that goal itself is exactly what he envisioned, right?

Like, that's just hard on the forecheck. Right? You get in there, you forecheck card, you force them into turnovers, right? And you got the F2 right in the slot, right there to pick up a loose puck and it's Matthews of all people. He's not going to miss an empty net when he has that opportunity. So that's exactly what Greg Brubay hockey looks like. And you look at that, you know, a couple of games here over the course last week or so.

And they are starting to look and play a lot like he wants this team to play. And, you know, the power plays cooking. Defensively, they've been a lot better as well. Troy Stature, man. Like another big game for Troy Stature last night. It gets the game tying goal. He stopped a goal from happening. really nice play with an empty net, knocked a puck away from the Jets player.

And, I mean, he just continues to play at a very high level. And this is a guy who's claimed off of waivers, and he leads the team. Nearly 25 minutes of ice time last night. Almost 25 minutes of ice time. And this guy, literally, they claimed him off the streets. He had a one-way ticket down to Bakersfield, the Oilers' HL team. And the least said, all right, well, take a shot on this journeyman NHLer who's been in the league, been on six other teams

and something has clicked. He's playing with some drive, some passion, and he's playing the best hockey he has in his career. And at a time where the Leaves desperately needed it too, like Brandon Carlo out, although his return could be on the horizon sometime soon. We have Dreger on in about an hour or so. We'll get his thoughts on

his update. Chris Tanev, too. Now he's out long term. But when you have a guy like Troy Stetcher, it kind of solidifies things. Or it's at least settled things and he seems to have settled Jake McCabe has played a lot better of late. So I think to your point, you talk about it, you know, confidence, you know, really catching on and latching on to every single player, it being contagious. That's really what we're seeing from the Maple Leafs over the last few, few games here.

Thatcher amazes me, because he's bringing exactly that. And like, his entire career is being a waiver or near waiver guy. Yeah, he's been a, he's been a third pair, six, seven his entire career. Exactly. This is not a guy who was a number three over I'll pick a decade ago and has some talent. Not at all. But what you can control when you are Troy Stetcher is playing your ass off and having some passion and some energy for this. Like we heard Austin Matthews after that win talk about Stetcher. Like you've got the big dog talking about you. You also heard Troy Stetcher talking about the crowd and how much that means to him, getting the energy and passion back from the crowd, which has not been given a lot of reasons

to be all that excited this year. We know that it's not a, you know, a sell out every single night and maxed out. We're seeing that energy going back and forth again, which is important. But Stature just embodies that, man. Because Austin Matthews, he's always going to score. Ideally, a little bit more, ideally like this. But it's when you get these pleasant surprises.

Man, these stories of the waiver guy who's playing 25 minutes a night and solidifying your blue line and making players around him better. Like, the best you're hoping for from the waiver wire is typically just a grinder to come in, maybe a depth winger to get you a point here. Don't get scored on. Go on the ice. Don't get scored on. Just do your job and, you know, live above water.

And he's contributing to winning in a major way. He said he plays with a lot of passion, a lot of emotion. We've been seeing that passion and that energy from him. You're seeing that from Austin Matthews. Yes, dude, the celebration after that hat trick. That was rare. I mean, like, I haven't seen that guy a smile like that in a very long time. In a very long time.

Maybe not ever, ever. And I get it. It's a very emotional big comeback. Like they were down 4-1 and, you know, it was a hat trickle. It was the go-ahead goal shortly after tying the game. You're feeling great about yourself. So he lets the emotion kind of unleash for half a second. But it was great to see.

It was good to see. And maybe that passion, you know, gets kind of locked in there. And they can unleash that the rest of the way. It's great to see, though, because this is, it matters. Yeah, absolutely. It does. Now, if your team is on a roll, this comes easy. If your team is struggling or kind of caught in the middle where the leaps are trying to

Where they were, like, three weeks ago, and everyone's talking about how Craig Baroube, you know, needs to be gone. Pete DeBore has to come in. Well, now all of a sudden, they've won for the last five. They picked up nine of ten points, and Barrube seemingly seems a lot safer today than he did before Christmas, right? Absolutely. So I think a much different conversation now. Much different conversation. And the Maple Leafs, you know, they're in a much better spot, just two points out of a playoff spot, and we'll see what they can do moving forward.

You have to be inspired by the way that they are playing, the way they battle back from down 4-1, and it was the captain who led to come back. Now just one goal shy, by the way, of tying Matt Sundeen for the all-time Maple Leaf's goal-scoring record, really quietly got there. I mean, it was something that was talked about at the beginning of the season. Like, at some point Matthews is going to break the record, but then he stopped scoring goals. And so that stopped being a talking point, a storyline, and then he rattles off a hat-trick. like, whoa, hold on. He's close, man. He's only one goal off now and almost got it, too.

Like, after they made it 6'5, he had an opportunity, domy, really nifty kind of between the legs, no look backhand pass to Matthews alone in front of the net. Couldn't stuff it past Comrie, but he had an opportunity to tie him in a four-goal effort, which would have been unbelievable. Like that, you could have put that one right up there with game number one in Matthew's career if he would have been able to do that. But it's not going to be long now. And look at the game difference. Like 900 and the 81 games, it took Sunda to score 420.

And Matthews sitting here, 6.63. Like, we're talking 300 less games for Austin Matthews to reach that feat. That's how talented of a goal score this guy is. And I get it last year, the start of this year, it's been slow. He has not been the threat he was when he scored 69 two years ago. But when he's healthy, and I think that's what I'm, you know, I think that is what you can look at the last couple of games, you know, or at least last night,

when this guy's healthy, when he can physically perform to the best of his abilities, he still can't be that MVP caliber player. And ultimately, at least need that. And they needed that last night, and they got it, and they came away with the victory. It was great to see.

I'm curious how big a factor that is. And it's something that, again, we'll never be told during the season. The health? Yeah, the health. We'll be told after the season that he had his right arm replaced or something like that. A player who plays like Matthews so skilled,

but he relies on the physical game to be part of his success. And I think that's what we're seeing him be more physical in these situations, whether it's taking the puck from someone, getting more involved in the center of the ice, driving to the center himself. You see that drive with the puck that looks like a healthy player. It looks like a fresh player. And that could be mental as well.

The holiday break, you get away from the game work for him for a day or two. I don't care if you are the most beloved athlete in Toronto, getting away from our hard season to say, my God, let me exhale for a minute. It still matters. There's still a human element to this, but he looks fresh. He looks energized again. We'll continue this conversation. Darren Dregor going to join us in the 5 o'clock hour, but up next, get into week 18 at the NFL season. We got our NFL picks.

Final week of the season, Team HBO, still the drive for 25 is alive. And we'll do that next with Luke Wilson. You're listening on TSN 1050, up on TSN 5, and on YouTube live. Overdrive continues on TSN 1050. Mike DeStefano, filling in for Brian Hayes, Kiga Matheson of MLB.com, contributor here at TSN with me as well. We'll have Luke Wilson on in just a moment. And the drive for 25 is still alive if Team HBO can have an immaculate week. So we have five, final five picks of the year.

If we have an immaculate week where we go 3 and O and those stiffs, team Nudelson, go 0 and 2, we can finish plus 25 on this season. Has relegation been brought up? It has been brought up. It has been brought up. And I think honestly, it probably should be more of a topic. It really should be because to be 25 points above, a man who won a Super Bowl is kind of sad. Like, I don't know how this guy let the season get away from him.

And then he lets O'Dag go, and we claim him off waivers, and he's been our choice stature. Like, I think we're six games. Look, we're plus six since bringing on O'Dog. We've got six more wins. We were plus 14 when he put O'Dog on waivers, and it's now up to plus 20. So we're feeling pretty good about it. We've got five final games. And a big week 18, I mean, there's some big matchups, right?

A lot of playoff implications. going on this year. You've got the Bucks and Panthers. Winner gets the number one seed. Although, if the Falcons win, then the Panthers get the number one scene no matter what, based on strike to schedule, win percentage,

and all those nonsense tiebreakers. But Bucks, it's must win. What the noodles son is cooking. And there he is. Wow. Luke Wilson What's going on, pal Nice mustache

Happy New Year, pal Happy New Year How's it going there, house, bro? Is 2026 the year You get your You're picking back in order or what? So it's funny because Similar to your stats

You know, you left out a lot of things here And clearly you didn't listen to the last show But if we go back in history here All the way back when I was partners with Hayes Won the regular season, won the Super Bowl. The following year, there's a lot of drama. I believe you got cut from a couple teams that year.

It was a bit of a bloodbath. We go to the next year. I'm with O'Dog. What did we do? Swept the regular season, wasn't close. Went into the playoffs. There was some controversy. I believe that you ended up tying

and we were supposed to have a trivia in the Super Bowl. Trivia never happened. Super Bowl was awash. Now you go to last season. I'm going to ask you point blank. You were with Hayes. Did you win the Super Bowl? Did you win the playoffs?

The answer is no. You are yet to win a ring. And I will, as I said to Hayes, congratulations. We had a tough year. We were the Chiefs. Yeah. Okay. You had a career year.

But similar to the 07 Patriots to the 2016 Warriors, it don't mean a thing without the ring, boss. You consider it all you want. No, it's not going to be that way. With Hayes, I have one with, O-Dog, and I will now win with noodles. And right now, your rings are sitting at a solid zero, boss. So keep gloating.

I just don't see it happening. I just don't see it happening, Luke, I don't. You know what I'm hearing here, guys? Luke is an accusation that Al's brother might be a system quarterback, needs the right system around him. Absolutely. I'm Brock Purdy. Absolutely.

I'm Brock Purdy. I mean, that guy's played pretty well. That guy's played pretty well. has he played well enough, Luke, and will he play well enough this weekend to take the number one seed from your Seahawks? How do you see that one playing now? Probably one of the biggest games this weekend. Yeah, it's tough for me to kind of admit this, but I worry about Seattle. Now, I will say this, Seattle has been a bit of a team of destiny this year. I go back a couple weeks to the L.A. Rams game.

And if you look at statistically, they have no business winning that game. You know, but then all of a sudden you get a couple bounces. the punt return was awesome. Again, I'm talking about the Seahawks versus the Rams. They get the crazy two-pointer hit off Buddy's head and deflected forward, and then the Rams miss a kick. What I get nervous for Seattle, though, is I don't love this matchup for them. Seattle's defense is elite, but right now I would say the hottest offense in the NFL

is the 49ers, especially because the last few weeks, you mentioned Purdy playing well, but also McCaffrey has now dominated on the ground. I think early in the year, you look at McCaffrey. It's been a lot of it was through the air. Their yards per carry were very low. And for the football nerds out there, any team that Kyle Shanahan has been a part of where the run game is cooking, there's very, very little you can do to slow that offense down.

So it's good on good, I say. You know, Seahawks defense versus Niners' offense is their two strengths of both those teams. and then I think the Seahawks' offense is a bit inconsistent where the 49ers defense has been really banged up. I just, in a tight matchup like this, I know you guys have the spread pick. I'm giving you a little info, but I always side with the coaching staff,

and it's two tremendous coaching staffs. But I think across the board, you've got to say, I mean, I think Shanahan's probably the coach of the year, a little more experience of the head coaching position. Rob Salah, I really love as a D-coordinator, and then you got the two brothers as the OCs, kind of wild. Luke, let me take you to that other Saturday game there.

A little less sexy of a game. Maybe the least sexy high-stakes game of the week, but when you look at the NFC South there, Bantor's Bucks, man, I feel like there's not a lot of juice with either of these teams. It's paying me to watch Baker Mayfield this year, kind of lose a bit of that magic, hasn't had a lot of help around them. Where do you think the energy is on that one, man?

These two teams are hard to put a thumb on right now. And you said it, I think it's tough. You know, I've watched both teams a lot this year. And the tough part is you're kind of waiting, we'll start with the Panthers. You're waiting for them to, like, take that step forward. Yes. You know, and they have a couple good wins where you're like, there it is. Like, Bright Strong's going to get going to get going.

This team's legit. And then all of a sudden you're just like, you flip the game on. You're like, this team is awful. They look terrible, especially offensively. And it's hard to sit there and say, man, this is a, team I really want to rally around or you believe could actually make a great run. Like, can they win one

game? Sure. Are they going to win three playoff games? In my opinion, there's absolutely no shot. So now you go to Tampa, and for me, now they were decimated with injuries. That's another team who's decimated with injuries, especially on that offensive line. And it's funny because

you kind of waited, and it goes to show you how much your offensive line means. Everyone wants to talk about star players, and I'm guilty i'm the guiltiest guy because it's not as fun to talk about having an offensive line on television but all of a sudden we all waited for their star players to get back and they got back and seemingly they still think i mean you look at some of the quarterbacks they've lost to it has been an abomination and i was talking about the other day actually on my podcast where part of my reasoning again the main thing is the injuries especially on the offensive line

but you can't run the football there even the games where the numbers look like Oh, they ran for 119. You know, you take out Baker scrambles, and you take out one explosive run from Rashad White on a few of these games, and the numbers are putrid. And I'm talking averaging two yards to carry. So they're just not serious contenders because Tampa Bay also has an awful defense. So I look at this thing, and I do believe that there are ways Tampa Bay can score points. We haven't seen it consistently, and can they catch lightning in a ball?

model, sure, when you have the type of players that have a receiver. But that being said, like, if you look at almost every Super Bowl bound or winning team in, let's call it the last 10 years, it's not a lightning in a bottle situation. It's a team that is built on fundamentals that has great aspects and or players within those fundamentals. And I just, I think they fundamentally are not even close to the top of the, you know, NFC right now. So, yeah, a little bit of long-winded there,

but I would say that game is going to be more of a placeholder, see who gets absolutely waxed in the first round. Yeah, that's it. And that's the thing. They win the game, and they do need a little bit of help, too. So it's not winning you're in for Tampa Bay. It can be for Carolina. So Tampa plan for, you know, it is must win for them, absolutely.

Moving on, probably the biggest game of the weekend, the one that has the most important on the week 18 slate. Steelers, Ravens. Sounds like Lamar Jackson is going to place at 100%. I'm going to be in that game. It's the 40th meeting between Tomlin and Harba. So these two teams know each other very well, and it's winning your end situation for both of these teams. I mean, how do you expect this game to play out, Luke? I'll tell you what, I think on paper everyone thinks all the Ravens are going to, you know, roll with this thing. And I'm just, I don't buy that. I think they can win.

But this is a rivalry where every game seemingly is an absolute battle, even in the The past, you know, it seems like Tomlin for years has been able to find a way to split. Now, obviously, they won earlier this year. So I think the key matchup is slowing down the Ravens run game. But then I look at the last game they played, the Ravens, I believe, had like 217 rush charge or something like that, and still loss. So, you know, Lamar, to me, is a premier guy in this league, but he has not had a great year. And generally speaking, the Ravens, as a whole, have had very bonehead moments. in big games. I think turnovers. I think

drops. So they've done nothing this year, and I mean nothing to really make me feel better that they won't have those moments. And this isn't a one-time thing. I mean, Al's bro, you can talk about some of them. It's been years of this stuff in the playoffs. Oh, yeah. You know?

And I sit there and I go, okay, sure. The Steelers had a chance to beat the Browns last week, and they blew it. Well, four or five weeks ago, and they got absolutely blown out by the bills, everyone was writing them off then and they went on a very nice winning streak, including going to Detroit and holding Jamir Gibbs and Montgomery to 12 total rush yards. Like, this team's got some juice. The problem is

D.K. McCaff has jammed them. Yeah. That's just, and I obviously love D.K., I played him for a while, but some stupid Lions fan in a blue wig is currently the Ravens MVP because not having D.K., even when he's not catching the ball, it's such a big ordeal for how. Aaron Rogers operates. So he's going to need, whether it's Miller, whether it's stealing, whether it's the combination of tight ends, whether it's NBS, does the opposite what he did last week. They need somebody in that receiver room to step up this week if they won't have a chance. Yeah. If the Ravens end up winning this game, they should send a t-shirt and a hat over to that over that Detroit Lions fan. They really should. They should send them one for that one.

I do you got one more for it before we get into the picks, Luke. Week 8. often known as incentive week around the building is what I've been told for a lot of players. You got a good story about you or a teammate really gearing for an incentive in the final game of the season. I got a good story.

I mean, I don't know if I'd say it's a good story. I, you know, my first, you know, I have incentives as a rookie. So my first four years, no incentive. It's my fifth year. There's like some weird kind of tender, I don't know if it's tender, if that's the right word, but anyways, It's either here nor there.

We go to my six-year, and I'm in Detroit, and I had an option that year of going to Carolina for three years and a little bit more money, or I kind of roll the dice for a one-year deal in Detroit, and the situation was a bit better in Detroit as far. From the outside, looking in, and I remember to kind of, like, bridge the gap. They gave me a lot of these incentives,

and the first few steps of them were an utter joke. I think I have a picture of my phone still Remember being like, man, I'm going to blow through these Like I'm in a better situation I got Matthew Stafford as a quarterback You know, this is going to be the first level for sure I'm getting with my eyes close I remember sitting there and I was concussed

And missed the last week of the year But going into the second last week I think we're at home against Minnesota And I've just had one of the worst years statistically I ever had I remember laughing being like Man, it was a short time ago where I was giggling at my house being like, this is free money. And little did I know, I would be nowhere near any of those milestones.

So I will say this about those incentives. You know, you're pretty thrilled when guys hit them. I know there's a lot of chatter online about, you know, the gambling aspect and betting them. The teams that I've been on really only the guys that are like core locker room guys and have really sacrificed and done a lot for the team are the ones where it's like, let's make sure this guy gets his bonus. And I have heard stories of the opposite

of owners calling down being like, hey, so-and-so's a buck 10 away from getting $500,000. I don't want to pay that, so don't throw. You hear these rumblings. But if it's a kind of a grinder that everybody loves in the locker room, generally speaking, those will be hit

if the game is in control. Yeah, a couple that I, I saw that are intriguing. As Khalil Shakir, he needs one touchdown, so he might be an anytime touchdown guy. Who else we got here? Dawson Knox, he's 37 yards. So if you're looking at that Bill's game, a couple plays. A couple plays that could be had to have some incentive bonuses kind of built in.

Like you said, those are some lockering guys. I like Keenan Allen. Trey Lance was next to him in the locker room. He was saying, hey, Trey, I need two. We need two out there. And Trey Lance is yelling back. I need a new car. This is awesome.

This is great stuff. Well, that Rob Garnkowski, he gets that one grab. And he goes to the sideline. He's like, Tom, thanks. I just made a million. He's dancing. I made a bill. He needed one grab in that game as final year against the bucks.

It was hilarious. And there'll be a lot of those celebrations throughout week 18. All right. Speaking of week 18, Luke, it's time to get to the picks now overdrive. Brought to by Fandole, bringing you more ways to play your game, your way. I believe we have the first game. Team HBO, we've got to run through these quick. It's Bucks.

They are laying three, taking on the Panthers. I know that we talked about the Bucks and they've kind of been a bit of an abomination this year. I know that they have not been able to cover anything. They've got one covered spread in their last 10 games. But this is a must win game for

them. It's a must win and lightning in a bottle, it might not allow them to have a playoff run, but I think it can allow them to come and lay a beat down on the Panthers. They're a better team all around, top to bottom. I do believe that the Bucks at home get it done. Team HBO laying the points with the Bucks.

I mean, we'll see about that. I got a bad feeling, too. Again, you've obviously been wildly hot. Nothing worse than when you guys are reading your, or what is it called, reading your own flowers, get your own press clippings, and all of a sudden you get real cold, real quick. New year, new squatter.

here for Noodleson. We got Seahawks Niners next. Is that correct? And it's shifted. It's now Seahawks minus two and a half. Yeah, I feel like an absolute traitor saying this, but I'm going to go San Fran here. You know, I think offensively they're rolling

right now. Yeah, and honestly, the one and a half, I was a little, I was sweating a little more, but I do go back to 2019. I was on that squad when we lost by half a yard. It was a throw to Jacob Hollister.

I think Fred Warner and who was Drake Greenlaw might have been the guy that kind of sandwiched him on the one. I think it's going to be one of those games. It's wildly close and the extra point there has kind of given me the belief that it's the safe pick

to take the points here, especially at home. Well, that and you saw what Darnold did in week 18 last year with a shot at the number one seat on the line. You know, totally pooped himself. So I wouldn't want to be on that side either to be completely honest with you. Packers, Vikings, I was shocked by this. There was a good debate within Team HBO and who we wanted to take, but the Packers down to their third string quarterback. Clayton Toon is going to be their starter. And this number

keeps growing. It was at six and a half, then seven and a half, it's now at eight and a half over on Fan duel. And I think it's gotten to a point where I think we got to roll at the Vikings. Team HBO is going to roll at the Vikings, J.J. McCarthy. There's an incentive also for for Justin Jefferson to keep his thousand-yard streak alive. So I think they'll be feeding him the ball quite a bit. I think the Vikings can roll in this game. We're going to lay the points again with the home squad here and take the vikes. Breaking my heart here, man.

I know. You don't believe in Clayton. Hayes was the guy who came over the top. Hayes was the man who had to make the choice. And he said, you know what? I'm scared of Green Bay. They have nothing to play for this week. The Vikings, if they want to, you know, keep their coach in line,

maybe they have to win this week, and he's like, let's go Vikings. I'll tell you, when Matt Leflur, turns Clayton Tune into Mafflin. Six touchdowns for Clayton Tune. Here we go. I'll tell you this, I don't know if I love that pick. I get the Clayton Tune side of it, especially when you're playing a Brian Flores-led defense. I really do. But coming off last week, how much the Packers defense was embarrassed, I wonder, like,

you know, if this is kind of, we talk about those get right moments, like heading into the playoffs. The Pat's got to button this thing up, and they're playing kind of, you know, an offense that's been very subpar for most of the year. They've had some good moments here and there. Divisional game ain't a lot of points. I'm just saying, if bake doesn't come through here, we can have a nice three game start to this final weekend, baby. We'll see. We'll see. All right, quickly.

Chargers, Broncos. And this one's become a decent size spread as well, if I'm not mistaken here. What do we got charges of Broncos are now? I'm going to go Broncos. I'll tell you why. Now I got jammed when they play the Chiefs, but I believe the charges are arresting everybody that they can. Herbert's not playing, and the Broncos got to win. They want the one seed.

They want to buy. And you don't, you know, they're probably hoping they can rest guys at a certain point. But 14 points ain't enough time to rest guys unless it's late in the fourth quarter. So they're hoping to get up 21, 28. I mean, that's a big spread, though, Luke. Tray Lance could get a little nasty. Big spread.

I can't sit here and say, you've got a team fighting for the one seed when they lead defense, and we're starting our backup quarterback and probably a lot of other backups or even starters will play a bit, but be rotating. I think Denver comes out here

and make sure they secure the one seed and it gets kind of ugly early. And the Sunday nighter, it'll be the final team to make the playoffs. I think it's the Steelers at home. I'll take the Steelers and take the points. Good for you. Three and a half. Good for you, Alas, bro.

Three and a half, that hook, that hook is big. If it was two and a half Ravens, I probably would have been there, but I think this is a field goal game. The Ravens, I think, likely win it, but I think it's close. It goes down to the final kick. And I think that the Steelers will at least cover the number for us. They have a chance to win.

I mean, they beat, you know, the Ravens already this year. They have a chance to win the game. So I'll take the points as well. But I think it's close. close, it'll be a nail winner right to the final. You're a new man. Two years ago, you have never made that pick. That's, hey, man, I am a new man. I am a new man.

And that's why the playoffs, I'm also going to be a new man and be a champion come playoff time because I'm making correct picks. I'm making logical picks. And I'm using not only tremendous information by a little gut instinct as well. I'm a whole new man. We'll see. Time will tell. Just remember.

Don't mean a thing without the ring. Yeah, it's coming. It's coming, buddy. All right, Luke. Happy New Year to you, and we'll see you in the group. Cheers, boys. Happy New Year's. All right, Luke Wilson. There he goes. TSN NFL analyst, host of Film Never Lies, also TSN podcast hosted by Luke Wilson.

All right, we got to fly more overdrive coming up next. Overdraft continues on TSN 1050, Mike DeStefano and Kegan Matheson, filling in for the regulars. And we got Darren Dregor to open up the top of the hour when we return. You're listening to TSN on TSN 1050. TSN5 and up on YouTube Live. I'm Dylan Playfair. And I'm Tyler Smith. We're putting loneliness in the penalty box

by talking to some of our favorite athletes about the importance of friendship. This is bromance. Bromance is brought to you by Charm Diamond Centers, proudly Canadian-owned and operator. Charm has been part of your love stories and bromances for over 50 years. And you can find Bromance on the IHeart Radio Network

or wherever you get your podcast. Oh!