OverDrive - Willson on the Bills' roster identity, the Eagles' culture and the Saints and Falcons' clash

Episode Date: October 5, 2026

TSN NFL Analyst Luke Willson joined OverDrive to discuss the Bills' first defeat in the matchup to the Patriots, the star injuries in the spotlight, Jalen Hurts' decreased offensive stats, the Saints and Falcons' matchup on Monday Night Football and more.

Hit you smell what the hoodlinson is cooking. You cracked the code, buddy. You just pick both teams. Parts, parts. I want to be honest with you. I just heard that whole little thing. It's just disappointing, but it just goes to show you how scared they are right now. I know.

You know, the idea that we went in and took the Rams, even though they've been struggling, to cover three and a half on the road in Philly, that's true greatness. That call right there is greatness. That was great call. and that's a belief in God, and that's what we do, parts. We stay focus. That's right. Like, I think the bigger story in that is that the Eagles, like, Jalen Hertz doesn't

throw the ball three yards down a field. Like, he just checks. It's horrendous. You know who's getting torched right now is Ricky Siriani, man. Yeah. People love to torch him. Yeah, they do. What's weird for me is, you know, we're not that far removed from when they were, and I

know Sequin got hurt, but we're not that far removed from when Sequin was getting benched in game 17, and the option was, does he break the single season rushing record, or do we keep him healthy? Like, we're not that far removed from Jalen Hertz being a Super Bowl MVP. Even in the loss he had in the Super Bowl, lit up the scoreboard. And there's an argument that, like watching them yesterday, that they're one of the worst offenses in the league. Now, granted, a lot of injuries. Devante Smith doesn't help. Dallas Goddard. They're banged up on the O line.

But everybody has injuries at times. And they're still being able to throw the football. And again, there's some weather, but 93 pass yards, and you're not even attempting to push the ball down the field. The one touchdown to Cooper was an inch away from being intercepted. The run game is putrid. What's crazy about it is the NFC East is now wide open, and there's a real world. I'm not saying I favored this, but there is a real world

where James Winston wins the NFC East this year. Again, not my pick right now, but you can't count that out. Parts, even though I love you, but that's some crazy-ass talk. Well, first off, I can't even pronounce the name of the current quarterback for the commanders.

Okay, which very fortunate. They're not doing it. Very fortunate for Hayes and Muppet that they were able to get an injured quarterback once again. Another international game, but anyway. So commanders are out. Now you go to Philly. Like, do you think Philly's going to win this division?

Do you feel good about saying that? No. I don't, but could I see them still doing it? Of course I could. Agreed. It's open. And then the next thing is Dallas. Now Dallas got a big win in Houston. They did.

They found a way that was the best their offenses looked, et cetera. But like, are you going to sit there and trust Dallas's defense right now? No. I mean, honestly, I look at the NFC. in general, Luke. And, like, I think, obviously, Seattle, they got Donald back. They're going to be there in the end. Yes.

The Niners look phenomenal. Agreed. They got injury problems, but big win yesterday against Denver. Agreed. The Rams are going to be good. There. Those three are making the playoff. But beyond that, like, the NFC, like, the Lions defense, they can't win like that.

They can't. They stink. They're horrendous. I'll tell you, I'll tell you Hayes. They can't. So, as you know. The Packers are not good. Like, the Vikings are not a good team.

I'm sorry, they're a great defense. I'm out now. You can't. I'm with you. You can't win with that offense like that. You can't over the course of the season. There's a lot to unpack there. We'll start with the Lions.

Kelvin Shepard right now is the worst offensive coordinator in the NFL. And it's not really close. Like, yesterday, and I'm watching, and part of it is like, I'm hoping to have a two-game lead in our competition. I was ready to like, but hashtag stay focus. Sure. I felt pretty good about the Lions' Pairs. I really did.

And I'm watching this thing and I'm like, okay, who can catch the ball in Carolina? Ted McMillan. After that, after that, who's going to be their guy? And I would argue that most people, most casual NFL fans

could not name more, like Waller's there as a tight end, could not name most of their receivers. And McMillan had 16 targets for 14 catches 192 yards. And I'm like, at what point are you going to say, okay, Bryce Young is killing us with Ted McMillan.

Let's take him out of the game. And let's make him throw to METCHI, shadowed the Canadian. Let's make him throw to anyone else, the other tight end tremble. Even Darren Waller, who does not play a ton for them right now. Like, I could not fathom that they were just continuing to play man coverage, one guy on Ted McMillan and letting Bryce Young go, thanks, thanks, thanks. again and again and again.

So the Lions' defense and schematically I think is futureed right now. Now Minnesota is a different story. I think if they can somehow get adequate quarterback play, which is a big... How are they getting that though, dude? That's the problem. I'm with you, Hayes.

I'm with you. I don't... Haven't written off Kyler Murray yet. But he certainly is not doing much to impress. But, you know, he is new in a new system. So is there time for Kyler? But it is crazy I read a thing last night

where it was like the Vikings are 4-0 and didn't score an offensive touchdowns in two games they're the four team in NFL history this is on Twitter so it could be wrong and the other three I think it was like the 1933 like teams that don't even exist anymore

like it's crazy that they're able to do this and play so well defensively you know I do think the bears are in the conversation for being, you know, obviously right there. But the NFC is a bit of a joke outside of the NFC West right now. Yeah, no. So what has been established is you have to win the NFC West. Yeah.

Like that is going to be a bloodbath. And the Niners are 4-0, Seattle's 3 and 1, Rams are 2 and 2 now, and they're going to play each other a ton still. But that win in Australia is going to be significant. It has the chance to be very significant, even though it was week one. halfway around the world. But one of them is getting home field.

I think the number one seed in the NFC and the other two are going to have to go on the road to get to a Super Bowl. I agree. That's what's coming. It's not going to be easy. Hey, he's honestly, it's been that way. And I know I'm dating myself here, but I go to the infamous Richard Sherman tip game

against San Fran. That year, we went 13 and 3. Kaepernick and the Niners went 12 and 4. And they had the tie breaker over us because we split. a candlestick. We won at home and we had lost a divisional game to Arizona, which was a bit fluky. But I remember going to that final week

being like, if we don't beat the Rams, we're going to have to go to San Fran. And if we go to San Fran for the NFC championship game, we probably don't win. We probably don't win. And that's kind of how it was last year I thought, felt like as well for Seattle. If they had to go to Los Angeles in the playoffs, I'm not sure they beat Matthew Stafford in that team last year, the way they were humming at the end of the

season. So I'm with you. We're like, Like, these games matter, and I hate to flip the script on you, but you know what else matters? Losing to New England at home. I was going to say parts. That loss. Yeah. That loss, like, should you not have smelt that a mile away?

Like, Hayes always talks about, no matter how good or bad, like a divisional game. Yeah. That one was, like, you should have smelt that one a mile away. Like, it's the team that's dialed in, Josh Allen's running all over the place, and the team that's on life support, they're going to go and find a way to win that game.

I should have knew it. I agree. And it is a bit, if you're a Bill's fan right now, I think it was one of the recent future, obviously not including times you've been eliminating the playoffs, but it was such a deflating loss, mainly because you went from all of this hype, and I was guilty of it, you know, Joe Brady, you know, the offense,

and you're like, in that week one win against Houston, everyone's like, I can't believe that they did this to Houston's defense. Well, now that Houston's 0 and 4, and their defense has been average. It's like, well, maybe that wasn't as impressive as we thought. And then all of a sudden it's like, okay, you played the Lions defense. And then you watched the Lions defense last night, and you're kind of like, maybe that wasn't as impressive as we thought.

And then they had the ugly one against the Chargers, and the Chargers are absolute, they're one of the worst teams in football. And don't get me wrong, they played a good New England team. It was a tough division game, and they did some good things. They just couldn't find a way. But this whole like, you know, the bills are the greatest football team ever vibe and we're going to sit there and they're going to go, you know, 15 and 2 this year and walk their way to a Super Bowl, you're a half game up in the division

and Drake May just came into your building and played lights out. And there's a lot of issues on that defense, one of which is an effort issue. And there's a play at the end of the game. And I got to give a shout to my guy, Chris Hine, TSA extraordinaire, because he was the first guy who brought this up to me. where Hunter Henry catches a ball on 3rd and 10 to close the game out. And Harrison has a legitimate angle at the cornerback position to make a collision and probably stop him three yards short, and he pulls up and chills.

And this is to give Josh Allen the ball back with two timeouts or potentially one, if they call it, in the game, like three-point game. And when you have defensive guys that are not selling out like that, I watch it on film after Heinz showed me this in my, at the floor. I'm like, this is one of the worst efforts in that situation I've ever seen. And that to me scares me a bit. I know I'm a bit of a

Bill's, you know, doomsay guy. And I still think they can make the Super Bowl. And I still think Josh Allen is 1A, 1B, best player in the world. But I think there's a lot more problems than we might have thought that they need to get figured out. Well, and that's challenging for a rookie head coach

that's offensive to tackle that issue, pardon the pun. You know, like McDermott, if he saw that, I think we'd probably address it. And likely quickly. Like, you know, that's one you can speak to it. But corners are known for it. If they're not, you know, they make a business decision, man, that's trouble. Especially in that time, Hayes.

Like, I hated business decisions when you see guys make them. But if it's the first quarter, or let's say it's a third quarter up 17 and a tight end gets the ball and you're like, you know what, hey, I'm here to cover guys. I'm not here to really make tackles. I'll just usher them out of bounds, give them the first down. You wrap your head around a little bit. When you're down three points to your division rival, and the only team in your division that can potentially win, because we all know the dolphins and jets aren't,

and you're at home, and it's really a massive swing game, and Hunter Henry catches the ball with seven yards to go, and you work horizontal instead of vertical, and you basically kind of gift them the first down, and the game's now over. We got problems, and that's not going to go well in the locker room. And so we'll see. We'll see how the bills respond.

Again, I still expect them to be at the end of the year, but maybe not as dominant as we all thought in the first three games. They're in L.A. next week playing the Rams. And it's not. Go ahead, noodles. So I know that my chargers are done, or my son's chargers. Yes, cooked. But where are you at with the chiefs in the Holmes, 4-0?

Is that quiet? Are they back? Where are you at with that? To me, and again, it's a bit of a different conversation. I've had a hard time with quote-unquote power rankings. I kind of like separating the conferences. They're the best team in the FC. And I don't think right now you can put anyone else at number one. Would you put the Jags there?

I don't think so. They're probably the bills in the Jags are two, three. But I look at the Chiefs, and they're back to just finding ways to win games. Now, Tyquan Thornton being hurt will hurt. You know, Rishie Rice, he will be back, obviously, but that will hurt. Now there's a lot of rumbling online. going to go get Tyreek Hill. I'm not sure.

They can't do that. I'm not. Why not? You can't bring that. You can't bring Tyreek into that room. Why not, dude? The Cheetah. I'm telling you.

You got to see Antonio Brown when he got to, where do you go, New England? Like, do you trust Tyreek Hill in a situation like that? I would, you're 4 and O. I wouldn't touch Tyreek Hill personally. That's fair. I would, you know, but I'm from the P. Carroll School of like, you know, As long as it works out on Sundays, who cares? I hear you.

And that would be the hope. I'm just saying that there could be some implosion that comes with that too. Yeah, I worry now with Rishi Rice out, and Xavier Worthy is still a speed guy, but it's one of those things where, like, part of why the offenses look good was Kenneth Walker's been the main reason. Not surprising there, but it's like with Rishie Rice and Thornton outs, you've got your down-the-field vertical guy out.

you've got your intermediate guy and rice out. Teams are really going to load up and try and stop Kenneth Walker and now we get Mahomes coming off the knee injury running around trying to play Superman where it's like, yo, if we can get a patch job here, like get Tyree running,

and I know this is nuts, Hayes. I know it's crazy, but I would consider calling O'Dell Beckham. I would. Get an intermediate guy that you can learn the offense, a veteran guy, and be like, listen, O'Dell, Maybe if things go well, you'll be here all year, but we need to patch this thing up until Rishi Rice is back.

Like, is that that crazy of an idea? I don't think so. Yeah, again, I just, I don't know what you're patching up when you're 4-0. You know, like, I know you're in the driver's seat right now. And like, Vegas is pretty good, man. Like, to their credit, the Raiders, that is no joke. I agree. They continue to roll.

I'm still pro-Denver, but that offense has got to get a lot better, a lot better. And I'm not convinced, you know, it'll get. get to the point where they're going to chase down Kansas City. You know, Kenneth Walker, you say that you weren't surprised. I'm surprised it's this explosive. I mean, this guy's the offensive player the year for four weeks. For sure.

Like, he's crushing it every week. He's the best offense player in the NFL. Yeah. Like, how did it get, like, I know he was Super Bowl MVP, but it was not much of a discussion in Seattle. He's like, yeah, see you later. So there's a couple things here, and I do wonder, this is, And again, obviously, I know Seattle pretty well.

This is a personal opinion. After the Jonah chat last week, I got to make sure there's no source here. This is just not factual, my own thought process. I think Seattle with Kenneth Walker was actually a little burned by Chris Carson. When I was there with Chris Carson, he was an absolute star. I'm talking when Chris Coggson walked on the field, and we drafted him late. I want to say we got him in the seventh round or something. it was like from day one

like this guy's going to be an all pro one year and you'd see these highlights and some of the Chris Carson highlights are just out of this world but he got injured and he got worn down and he had the neck thing and he medically retired early and he was kind of never healthy at times

and I do wonder if that left an impact on the front office on the coaching staff in Seattle where it's like hey we've got a star in Kenneth Walker he's a freak like he is unbelievable but we've got to protect him a little bit. Like make sure he's got the bubble wrap on.

We don't want another Chris Carson where we lose this guy. And then, you know, he had good numbers in Seattle. He was dinged up here and there. Didn't have necessarily massive numbers. Win Super Bowl MVP. And I do know Seattle in this sense. We're like they're very heavy market people. They'll pay you what they think the market dictates.

They're not very like hypothetically this guy's, you know, X and we're going to pay him something more. So now he gets the big deal from Kansas City, which I think put them at somewhere like ninth highest paid back. Like it's not outrageous, a ton of money. I'm wrong. But it's like, okay, well, like his numbers don't necessarily say that and we can use the money elsewhere. And hey, we really like this Judarian Price Kid.

So clearly right now it is not worked out because they paid Shaheed, Seattle did, and not Kenneth Walker. But I do think, and I'm a bit biased when I say this, like it's a bit early to judge this. You know. Just as you're about to finish a great point. How's brother. Hey, I got to ask.

Are you guys a bit like, you didn't have a great day yesterday calling games. Wow. I mean, we hit the international game, which is the toughest thing you could do. Like you're four and six on the year. I have the same record as you also. Look at, can you not read the banner? Or four and five the same number? Yesterday.

Yeah. We got jammed by Kelvin Shepard, and we made the call of the year with Matthew Stafford. I appreciate the face. that was a good pick keep the faith in the lord yeah we love we were on indie right we're a big supporter of the colts and the owner walking around and checking in with coaches while the game's going on it seems like it's gotten a little too like i don't parts two weeks ago you said you like it i do i still do the only thing that was a bit weird was and that was a pre-s i think that thing online got misquoted because she was before the game asking something the one thing that was

weird is i was like why doesn't she have the ipad she has the printouts So we stopped using the printouts in like 2015. Like you'd get the big playbook where you're flipping through where like everywhere I've been now those pictures, which it's the same system, whatever they draw it on. They all look the same. And I was surprised that she had it printed out. Just bring the iPad.

Then you can go like, hey, what's her third down plan? You don't got to. Right. What is she trying to accomplish? And I get you're the owner, male, female, whatever. You're entitled to do whatever you want. What is she looking for? That's a bit weird where, like, let's say we were to have our third down game plan, or a third down game plan, or whatever game plan in front of you, if you don't have any idea of what it is, it just looks like drawings.

Where it's like you've got to, and I don't know her level of expertise, but again, let's go to third down. Okay, hey, this team likes to play in third and, you know, three to six, they love to play man coverage with pressure. So generally in that game plan, the protection will match up what the pressure. is and there'll be a lot of man-beater routes or route concepts. So, like, if she can get that detail, be like, hey, why are we running a bunch of man-beaters on third down? I highly doubt those are the questions, but I don't know. It's just unnecessary to know it in the moment.

Like, you're not coaching. And also, the hay is in the barn at that point. You're not going to, like, go and be like, hey, I think that we've got too many man-beaters and not enough zone options. Exactly. You know? Exactly. You can't coach that up before the game.

Very performative. I think it's just an accountability thing, ultimately. Like, from what I've read of the situation, like, both Stuyken and the GM Ballard, both in a contract year, I think she just wants to make sure that she has all her information prior to the end of the season. When if things go sell, she wants to know why it went south and then give offer of her opinions on the next guy who comes in. Like, hey, this is what happened. It didn't work. Let's do this moving forward.

I kind of dig it. Like, as a Colts guy, I don't mind. holding those people accountable. You know, I do wonder if she's kind of putting the squeeze on Al's, bro, which I don't mind at all. You know, sometimes. You know, you two seeing eye and I. You know, you got to sit there.

Even if you're just asking questions that you know, it's just more so the tone that you're setting like, yo, we're playing Marcus Marriott. Obviously, he got injured. And I'm in London, England right now, and we have a good ball team. You better win. Like, maybe the underlying message is like, you might not be flying back from London. You can go see Big Ben if we lose this one. But the fascinating thing about it, guys, just to finish this conversation.

It's like, I love the idea of keeping people accountable, and you want to go around and stiff around and see who's doing what. But if you're asking, like, I could do that too, but if somebody was describing plays to me, I'd be like, I don't know if that play was better than the other play. Maybe she has that intimate knowledge where she knows, but most owners, don't know the intimate detail of what's the best play to call on a third down. And parts you said it, it's always one of those things where, you know, you can complain about

something or question it, but if you don't have the ability to be like, this is what I would replace it with, I don't really think you have a right, like, hey, are we really trying to do this? Why aren't we doing X? Like, I don't think that's coming out. Like, we need more, you know, bunch formations on our third down game plan because they like to try and pass it off. You know, I don't think that's the level of things that were. No, I can't imagine any owner is living in that type of world right now. Anyway, we got Saints. I think Jerry might offer up information with that, to be fair.

It doesn't mean he knows what he's talking about, though. He can offer up information as much as he wants. He doesn't know as much as a coach. All right, Saints Falcons tonight in New Orleans. The line is down to one and a half. Saints, one and a half. Al's brother, we're on the clock. Where are you leaning here?

This is a tough game tonight. It's a tough game. You know, divisional game against two teams who, you know, might be considered, you know, two of the better teams, although Carolina looked pretty good last night. I've got to be honest with you, Hayes. I'm a little perplexed by the line, the fact that the Saints are still favored at this point. With all the injuries that are there and all the information, the tremendous information that's starting to come about,

I thought this line would have been flipped. So the fact that we can get the Falcons and get points at this point, I really, really think we should be leaning with the Falcons and the flock. Yeah. I agree. Lean it, boys. Keep leaning. Long week for Atlanta, right back in a row, but a long week.

They found something at Green Bay. Now, a lot of teams have done that. But, you know, Panix Jr., they've got a great run game. They've got weapons. Oh, now you like Pennix Jr.? I don't. I'm not as big as fan, but he's better than what the Alzheimer's. He's better than Tua.

He's better than the alternatives down there in Atlanta. And if he doesn't turn the ball over, I think they win tonight. I think Atlanta's defense has been really good. Can you guys lock it in and then I can comment? Can you lock it in? Yeah, we'll lock it in. Week four. Five percent locked in.

We're on the box. There's been some false acquisitions about people picking both teams in a game. There's been some very false accusations. We're on the straight and narrow and this is how it works. We get to week four. This is when we start to lock in, Ellis, brother. I'll be honest with you guys. you guys always come on here and you say TG.

That's your big thing. And I'm going to go to parts. What is the G.I stand for in TG? Got instinct. The idea that these two Muppets would forget about Steve Gleason's punt block, which they're celebrating today. The guy's got ALS. It's in New Orleans.

Shuck has been incredible. And they're going to lay their hat on Michael Pennix because he looked okay in one game. is other insanity. This is the biggest and easiest layup of the year. Steve Gleason, the punt block. I understand it. The statue.

New Orleans, the voodoo. 20th anniversary of Katrina. It's all there. Are you guys 20th anniversary of Katrina? You're going to pick? Yes. Falcons. Falcons are a better team.

We don't get caught up in that kind of. Yeah. You guys have quoted the phase the moon is in in the past and you don't get caught up on the 24. 20th anniversary. Falcons all day. The NFC. South, up for grabs. I love Atlanta tonight. Go ahead,

else, brother. You're sick to your son-in-dart. Look at AIDS. A couple big reasons. No, look, we both believe it's easy to talk yourself out of the Falcons, the way that you're trying to do, and you can big-brain this all you want.

But it's real simple, guys. It is real simple. The Saints are depleted. They're missing their entire lineback in court. One of their better interior D-Lyman. Good luck containing this offense. and Bijon Robinson without anyone in the middle of the field that would offer 500 yards last week. They've got 11 days now with Michael Peddick to practice with the ones. He didn't practice at all prior to that game.

So you had 11 days for Kevin Stabansky to prepare and be ready for this. But the thing that I like, dude, they're missing. They're starting left tackle, missing a running back. This Falcons team is unbelievable when it comes to the pass rush. Third, you know I love my win rates. Third in pass rush win rates this year up against the Saints who ran. 23rd in past blocking, and now they're without their left tackle. You talk about Tyler Shuck going to be able to throw the ball all around.

He's not going to be able to get the ball out because they're going to be in the backfield, taking this guy down. Second lowest blitz rate, top five pressure rate, meaning they're getting there with just four guys, leaving an extra body out in coverage. He's not going to have anywhere to throw tonight. So I think Atlanta's going to get after Shuck. He's not going to be able to do a whole lot, and it's going to be the Bijjan, Drake London, Kyle Pitt Show, boys.

Love that. Stamp approval. Lock it in. Lock it in. Falcons getting plus points tonight. Pick is in. We'll be tied after tonight, Ellis Brother, and everyone knows what happens in week five. That's when we actually start digging. We got to stay focused. That's how we operate. The first four weeks, we don't even look at the scores. It's irrelevant to us the outcomes. We compile tremendous information, and then we floor it. All right, boys. Good seeing you guys. Great stuff. Thank you, Alice, brother. Thank you, Luke. We're on the Falcons tonight.

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