OverDrive - Willson on the 49ers' TNF triumph, Stroud's athleticism comments and Week 5 picks

Episode Date: October 3, 2025

TSN NFL Analyst Luke Willson joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the 49ers' win against the Rams, Mac Jones leading the team, where the team sits in the NFC West, C.J. Stroud's comments, Hayes and Bro and O'Win Willson's picks and more.

New Virgin Plus spot, take one. Get an affordable phone plan starting from... Tyler, I sound like a robot. Got it. Take two. Get an affordable phone plan. Why do I sound like a chipmunk? My bad. Take three.

Get an affordable phone plan starting from $40 a month. On it. That's better. Our sound guys sometimes makes mistakes, but this offer isn't one of them. Get an affordable phone plan from Virgin Plus, starting from $40 a month when you bring your own phone. Includes auto pay credit.

Conditions apply. Visit a Virgin Plus store or virginplus.cae for details. If you smell What the When Wilson is cooking There he is joining us on the Maple Toyota Hotline Our NFL analyst

Luke Wilson Where are you tonight Luke Friday night football Where do you happen to be this evening I'm in lovely Ottawa Ontario sitting here right now Just reminiscing how me and parts you bated you gumboes yesterday

Oh my God A division game on a Thursday With eight and a half points and you guys are acting like it's a shoeing, like it's a layup, it wasn't a layup for Kyle Shanahan. What's the matter with you, Hayes? Bad call. That's the one thing.

Hayes didn't factor in the record against McVeigh, man. He didn't factor it in, Partsey. And by the way, I love what he retweeted. They are. I love what you retweeted, Partsy. The picture of the Jersey and Windsor, and somebody said there's nothing of Hayes and bro, and you retweeted it.

I love that you did that, Marks. Hey, hey, you know, we're men of the people parts. They wouldn't know. These guys wouldn't know. Well, that's inaccurate. I get texts and DMs and emails telling me, Al's brother will walk down King Street on a Friday night, and he's getting cackoles like he's Leonardo DiCaprio,

like people are yelling at him, Al's boy. He's got TMZs following him around walking down King West, and I think that'll be happening tonight. So we are men of the people, And listen, it was a bad call. There's no other way to put it. It was a bad call, bad information. We forgot about Chanahan v. McVeigh.

Kind of an important detail that maybe we should have considered. We got roped in with the sharp money. You know, we went down that path, and it is what it is. We're down to early season slump. It happens. But in terms of that game last night, like Mack Jones, he's got the two-colored suit. You know, he's pumping the tires of Brock Purdy after the game. I'd be a little bit nervous if I was Brock Purdy

like Purdy's got the money but the Niners are 4 and 1 and they're 4 and 1 more because of Mack Jones than because of Brock Purdy what do you see happening when Purdy returns and at a minimum what do you think this is done for the future career of Mac Jones also with the latter part there

the future career of Mac Jones is he's going to be paid you know it's one of those things where and we kind of saw it with Sam Darnold. He clearly was in a very, very bad situation in New England, which that's not surprising. Everybody knows. I mean, it's very tough to be successful based on the end of Bill Belichick's tenure and Gerard Mayo.

He's playing an extremely high level. To me, beyond the ability, the toughness he's been showing, just seems real gritty. So he's made some big plays and big moments. That is not an easy defense. I'll say this, as far as the Brock Purdy thing goes, It's like, and it's at every level, you know, politics plays in sports. And if nobody was making money, there's probably a very in-depth conversation

who they want to start going forward, Brock or Mack Jones. But the reality is Brock Bertie's making over $50 million. And unless something crazy happens or Brock just plays horrid when he comes back and his return, there's no way they can sit there and keep $50 million on the bench. So, I mean, it's great to have a second quarterback, but, you know, money talks in this league. So I don't suspect there will be a quarterback controversy yet until, again, if Brock would come back and have two or three poor games, then all of a sudden I think you'd really be – the fans would be talking. But right now, I think it's Brock's spot pretty securely.

Luke, it's fourth and one. They make a call, the running back. Who's at fault there for – not at fault. for them getting stuffed. I mean, is it the running back who doesn't choose the lane? Is it the line that doesn't create one? Or is it the defense that just does a great job to stuff them? So to me, it's an offense on that one.

Every plays a little different noodles. But I hated that call, and I didn't love the idea of taking the ball to Matthew Stafford. I love the call for going forward and forth to one. I love that situation. Go win the game. But what was strange to me, if you run that back, it's like we've got a tight edge. essentially blocking Fred Warner who's humming downhill.

You've got Pooka and Akua trying to cut somebody off. And I think Pook is great, but like it's not an advantageous situation. Or I look at that in alignment-wise, I'm like, run behind the big boys, not your tight end in a wide receiver. And if you're even going to run the ball, like to me, you put something in Matthew Safford's hand, something creative, you know, who's got a million options. I thought the play call was horrid. Again, I thought the idea of going for him fourth and one,

but the thought process of running directly at Fred Warner when the game is in the line is very mind-boggling to me. I'd play it against Fred. Let's just put this way. He's extremely good at football. Yeah, it was a silly play, clearly. I like that, like you said, they weren't going to accept. the tie. The Packers accepted the tie the

week before. They kick a field goal there. It's over. Niners are either going to win the game or kill the clock and they're going to end up just tying it. So the Rams go for it, which I appreciate. But yeah, it's a silly play. And Williams has got to take heat for the fumble earlier

in the quarter, you know, at the end of the fourth quarter. Like you cannot fumble a football. It's a brilliant play by that rookie for the Niners, but you cannot fumble in that position. And the Rams just found a way to lose. Like, they just kept giving the Niners opportunities and full credit to San Francisco. I mean, they're 4-1 now, and it doesn't matter if it's smoking mirrors,

and the injury reports crazy deep. They've found a way to win games. It's been very, very impressive. Yeah, and it sounds like they're getting some of their guys back. You know, I don't think that it's as deep of a team as we saw years ago, but if they get kittled back, and I know this guy's far away, but if IU comes back and he's healthy, again, whenever that happens, and how will a sudden you're all of a sudden you're all out there

and you've got IU, Kittle, Jennings, Biersall's been great. Obviously, CMC's just been carrying the load here. This guy is an absolute warrior. I thought he played, like, lights out yesterday. You know, you look at this team and you're like, man, that offense is really something to be reckoned with. So I do think that if they can get healthy, they'll be a sleeper, you know, in this whole NSC side right now.

Four and one means a lot. Parts McVeigh took responsibility for calling the play after the game, and he said he put his team in a real bad spot. Like, how does that fly after the game? Does he just address the guys and just say, sorry, boys? Or does he have enough club where he doesn't have to say a thing? Yeah, he's probably got enough club at this point, especially because he's kind of an offensive guru.

No one's ever said McVeigh's got a, you know, a play calling problem. But again, at least he's honest, I think that goes a long way because when I saw it live, I was like, wow, that is a strange call on fourth and one. And then when I watched it back on the replay, just even alignments like in that whole run play, there should have at least been like we would go yes or no on some teams. Like yes means it's on. No means you're flipping it to the other side. Like if you flip that to the other way, kind of away from Fred Warner, you're probably getting the first. first down, you know, especially how that

line blocked it up. So I was very shocked that, like, again, matchup-wise, you run to your tight end and a receiver that's obviously got a cheated split, but I'm sure McVeigh feels pretty sick about that, but kind of reiterate what Hay said,

I think the whole team's got to feel sick. You know, they had two fumbles, one on the goal line, the kicking game was an abomination again, miss a field goal and miss an extra point, and you lose an overtime. Like, if it's not for the kick, game this team's 4 and 0 right now excuse me 5 and oh like you know it's it's ridiculous with luke wilson um i don't know if you saw this c j stroud quote

um did i ever hey yeah he's 23 years old he's in his third year in the league and he said he's feeling old and he's slower than he used to be um what how do you handle this Houston. They had a really disappointing season last year. His rookie year, he was phenomenal. This year, they're off to a brutal start. They have Tennessee this week, which is a must win. I believe it's Tennessee. Or no, they're playing the Ravens, I believe. Yeah, the Ravens are obviously without Lamar. How do you respond to this if you're in the room, if you're the coach, you're the GM, and you hear your franchise quarterback, C.J. Stroud, say what he said.

you know at this point and i know it's obviously early but you've got to you've got to pull j strout in and get this guy's mind right and why i'm saying that is obviously he had the rookie campaign that was unbelievable you know he got he got talked about it also wasn't close but being an MVP you know he was in that like second category of MVP boats and it's like that was his rookie year and second year it was such a decline that they fired the offensive horn they night. And now you got a new OC in, and the offense has been huge grade. Like, he's not throwing the ball well.

They don't run the ball well. Now, you can point at some other factors here, offensive line. You know, the run game has not helped him. But he has also not looked great, and he did not look great for a large part of year two. And now he's coming in front of the media saying that he's feeling like he's getting old. Dude, my guy's 23 years old. Okay, I mean, if he's feeling old now, how is he going to feel when he hits 30? I think a lot of this right now is he's probably searching for answers on why things aren't clicking.

And if there's a time to get the ship, you know, right at it's this week. They're playing a horrific defense in Baltimore. And Baltimore's best players are out on defense as well. So, you know, you would think that this week he can really put a state in the game and kind of turn this thing around. because I think C.J. Strouds in his head a little bit saying stuff like that. I believe he also said, he feels he hasn't grown into his body. So I'm like, I don't know how you say you haven't grown into your body. And then later on be like, I'm getting old in the same interview.

There's Alice Brother. No confusion with Alice Brother, right? You're very stable. You know what's up. you're feeling on a day-to-day basis you haven't slowed down you're faster man you're 40 time five six years ago you're way faster all better today i'm faster than that one yeah yeah yeah definitely faster than that one that was a uh absolutely brutal 40 that oh and i ran if we redid that though i think we could we could do well you for sure oh would crush your time are you a 10-6 back in the day it's going to be better than whatever the hell it was what

What was that time, by the way? It was so embarrassed. I think you beat me, by the way. I did. I beat you by, I think, half a second. It was a 10-1, you were a 10-6. Yeah. Do you know how embarrassing that statement is when someone looks at a grown man and goes,

you were a 10-6 back in the day running the 40. That is just an outrageous description of a human being. But factual and accurate, I was brother. So, listen, we're in our mid-season slump. It happens every single year. Every year we hit a bit of a slump. We get into the moon readings. We start to see the board clearly,

and we get motivated because now people start to doubt us. So we're only down dash two. We'll be leading by Sunday night. Like there's no questioning that. And we have another Sunday game, and Owen Wilson, you guys are on the clock. This game is terrible. Carson Wentz versus Dylan Gabriel.

Good luck if you're over in London. You have tickets for this. Vikings, three and a half. What's the play here? Owen Wilson, you're on the clock. Bartz, I'm going to be very honest with you. I have very little faith in the Brown's offense right now, especially against the Brian Flores defense. You've got a rookie quarterback.

There's just no way. Maybe the kid scrambles around. Maybe it's a Jackson Dart situation. But that would just be luck. We don't rely on luck. We come in and then we act like pro athletes and the pro athlete pick here is the Vikings all day. If Gabriel pulls a rabbit out of the sleeve, we live with that.

But there's no way I could take a rookie going up against Brian Forrest defense. You know, Hasey, this is a weird game, though, isn't it? Because the Vikings, they've been over there. They didn't come back home, I imagine. They've been overseas, so they're kind of acclimated to the time zone. So we're kind of in a bind there, but that hook, that hook is always deadly. That hook across the number of three. And I think Luke hit on it, though.

Sometimes a rookie quarterback making his first start in the NFL, there's not much game tape on that guy. Sometimes he can do some things that no one's expecting of him. And we saw it happen last week. And Dylan Gabriel, do I think they're going to win this game? No. But the Browns, that defense has been elite. Talk about Flores and the Vikings.

The Brown's defense put Jordan Love in a mental pretzel. I think Carson Wentz will be seeing ghosts out there as well. I think we'll see it pretty shit. I agree. I think this could be a field goal game for sure. You did tell me, Miles Garrett's chasing Carson Wentz around in London? Dude, please. This could end up like a soccer school.

This might be three-two. It could be three-two. Well, they're missing Brian O'Neill. I think Ryan Kelly's not playing, so that's two of their starters on the offensive of Ly and that aren't going to be there. I love this point. He's going to be scrambling all game long. I love being on the Browns.

I mean, Dylan Gabriel, he loves London. He's always been a fan of them. I love being on the Browns. love being on the phone die you got to quote die you got to go that's the dumbest statement ever said on the show love being on the browns all right house brother once again doogie is cooked up a jam job of epic proportions it happens to us every single game but that's fine we want to be challenged we need a challenge this year last year was too easy for us broncos at eagles eagles lay in four and a half where's your head at so here's where i'm at with this one hayes okay the tremendous information right

the numbers, to me, scream, take the docks, take the Denver Broncos. Like, Philly's 4 and O, but that offense has been horrendous. Like, besides the Titans, they have been worse than every other football team when it comes to their passing attack at doing the football. They're 30th and yards per play. Saquan has only top 60 yards one time. There's been some serious regression here, and that offensive line has been a shell of itself, and that's been their bread and butter over the course of the last couple of years there in Philly. And you look at it, I mean, Denver.

Denver's got maybe the best defense in the NFL and elite secondary. They're leading the NFL in sacks. They're lead the NFL in pressure rate. Like all of those things scream. Denver and the points make sense at four and a half. But at the same time, Philly can put it together. Like Philly can put it together. We've seen it happen time and time again.

Every time we dealt a team and they finally put together and we sit there and we say, how do we take the other side? How do we fade that team? So this is where we get put in a mental problem. pretzel, but the information to me says Denver, but you bring the gut instinct. What does the gut instinct say here, Hayes? The gut instinct says

close game. The gut instinct says close game or a backdoor cover for the Broncos. It does. Bo Nix on the road. He loves playing in Philly. Just like Dylan Gabriel loves playing in London. This is information that we have exclusively. And I think Sean Payton was in there and he

challenges this group. They're in a position they could be 4-0 this year. Like they really could. Denver could be in a position where they could be 4-0. They might get jammed by another late field goal, but if they do, they cover the number. I think the gut instinct matches the tremendous information. Dogs are barking. Let's take the Broncos. We're on the Broncos. Let's ride, baby. We're on the Broncos. This is what I'll say, you know, this is what gets so funny about your like, quote-unquote, TG, is you cherry-pick things with just no context. And it's like, oh, man, they lead the league in sacks. And I'm not saying

don't have a good pass rush. But when you get to go up against Cam Ward in week one and you have six team sacks in one week and it's been four weeks into the season, you know, of course you're going to be at the front of the pack. The last week they had three against Jake Browning

and five pylons playing offensive lines. They're not doing that this week. Like, can you guys get a clue? Can you get a clue? This is a brutal pick. It's a brutal pick. All right. We'll see. They walked into Indy, they walked into Chargers Stadium there in SoFi, and they played them to one score, walk off field goal games.

They played tough on the road. It was a two very quality teams, quality offenses, and Denver went toe to toe. Philly's offense has been brutal. You've got to admit that. This offense has been bad. AJ Brown's out there tweeting up a storm. I mean, things could unravel. I mean, Denver could win this game.

They could be on upset watch here, and we're getting four and a half. Yeah, I like Denver. Lock it in. All right, Broncos are our picks. Box in then. Bucks at Seahawks. This one, you're screwing on. For the record, you can no longer claim that Vic Fangio is your guy.

I'm just letting you guys know that. I don't want to hear that come out of anyone's amount. We like him post Thanksgiving. That's what we jump on his way. Oh, okay, that's what it is. Got it, got it. Bucks. Bucks Seahawks.

Bucs, Seahawks, Seahawks laying at three and a half. Oh, it's up to three and a half now. Yes, I think. Mm-hmm. Oh, that's disappointing. Yeah. No problem. We're still taking the Hawks.

pretty easy choice here the hawks defense been phenomenal the bucks are super banged up but you laugh like the bucks had to have crazy two minute drives just to come back or be in games this is a team that almost lost to the jets okay they're beat up

Mike Evans is out Godwin doesn't look the same right now coming back from injury so you got who Abuka the rookie is he gonna is he gonna go into Seattle's defense and absolutely blow that up also I believe Bucky Irving's not playing so there's probably your

Best offensive weapon, obviously, outside of Baker. So you're out without Irving, without Mike Evans. This is an easy game, boys. Thanks for the layup, doogie. Yeah, it is a layup. Of course it is. But listen, this is a Baker-Mayfield chasing a MVP-type game. Furthest travel in the league, Tampa to Seattle.

He rolls in there. Sam Darnel can't keep up with Baker. There's no chance. Former teammates, by the way. All right, final game of the weekend, or Sunday, final Sunday pick. Pat's at Bill's, Bill's laying eight and a half. Fowles brother, supply the tremendous information.

Yeah, I mean, Hazy B, we've been burned twice going against a few of our core policies that we have as a team and an organization, right? We talk a lot about divisional games, big number. The dogs usually bark in those ones. And I think we've got to go back and get back to our traditional values. Eight and a half points is just an absurd number here for the Patriots and Bills. I think that the Pats, they've been pretty solid this year. Drake May looks like a legitimate quarterback.

They're averaging 25 and a half points per game. They put up 40 last week. And the bills, like the defense is where they've lacked. They've got injuries still to that secondary. They got injuries to the defensive line. They've got some depth issues. So I think that this could easily be a one-score game. And they've really had a problem with stopping the run, too.

They're allowing six yards per carry on the ground. If the Patriots go in there, they establish the run. Trayvion Henderson, the rookie gets cooking. Ramon Stevenson gets going. Those two together, I think they can start. to put some offense together and keep it a, keep it a one-score game. I think we've got to take the eight and a half here. I'm with you, man.

So Mike Vrabel's special, dude. He owned Buffalo throughout his career as a Patriot plan. He rolls in there. It's a tight game. Sunday night under the lights, tight game, divisional game, back doors open. Am I hearing this right? Dogs are barking. You guys are, you guys are taking Drake Bay.

Yes. The cover against Josh Allen. Yes. On a primetime game. Absolutely what we're saying. Dogs are barking. for us. Dogs are barking. You guys just play favorites. And they're going to have their new outfits on. They're going to have their new gear on, man. I love it. It's going to be a smoke show

Parsi. They don't know it. I love the way these guys always say they're going to call the way the game's going to play. It's insane. They're so confident in what their knowledge is or whatever the hell they say. Yeah. Tremendous information and gut instinct. That's right. And it collides and it's probably the greatest gambling run anyone's ever seen. So enjoy the ride, man. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. All right, plus two. I think we're probably, what are we, plus three, Al's brother by Sunday night?

That feels about right. I think it's possible. I think it's probable, to be honest. I think we're going four and oh on Sunday. These guys, they have no idea what they're doing. We feel great about our picks and everything's locked in. I can't wait for that Carson Went's pick. That Carson Went's pick is going to be amazing.

Miles Garrett is going to come around the corner at what time will it be over there? Like 402 local time. and Carson Wentz will not know what to do with himself. I cannot wait for it. All right, boys. You guys might not be wrong, but the problem is the Browns might have 97 total yards of offense. That's fine. That's enough.

When John Judkins, baby, Quinn John Jenkins. That's all I got to say. Three-nothing Browns. All right, Al's brother. Luke, great seeing you guys. Best of luck with the picks. We'll do it again on Monday. There it is Alice Brother and Luke Wilson joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline.

The newest tracks in the next. Big thing. Look what we've found. And your first place to hear it all. It's Iheart, new music. Your digital station for brand new drops, fresh finds, and tomorrow's bangers. Updated daily. Iheart, new music, powered by all things go festival.

For the first time ever at Budweiser stage, October 4th and 5th, featuring Renee Rapp, Casey Musgraves, and more. Stream now. Online, on your smart speaker, and on the free IHartRadio app.