OverDrive - Willson on the NFL season kickoff, the Seahawks and Patriots' showdown and the Bills' pedigree

Episode Date: September 9, 2026

TSN Football Analyst Luke Willson joins to discuss the start of the NFL season, the Patriots and Seahawks' showdown in the Super Bowl, Mike Vrabel's offseason ordeal impacting the room, the Bills looking for a massive leap, Joe Burrow's next steps with the Bengals, O'Win Willson's selection and more.

There's no shortcut for saving time, but saving money is simple. Just combine your car and home insurance with Bel Air Direct and save. Get a quote at bellair direct.com. And the first professional athletes to look at the year, Luke Wilson in studio. Great to see you. Great to see our TSN NFL and CFL analyst. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm loving. A lot of people pumping your tires Friday night.

You and Dusty crushing it like always. It's been fun. It's been the boost stuff is a lot more labor-intensive. but I like it. We're chopping a ball in there. That's right, man. There's a lot. Like, you've got to fill some airtime, especially blowouts, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Rumor has it, though. I've been told that not only, I mean, we'll get to the message you sent me earlier today. Yeah. That you are becoming a massive Friday night football CFL guy. I am huge. I was watching on Friday night. I know you were.

You and Dustin is chalking it up, man. It's a beautiful thing. By the way, Luke, how awesome is Uncle Rusty? He's unreal. Yeah, yeah. He's great. I mean, he does, like, I always say the play by play guys have the hard job, man, because especially the CFL on like a non-football comment, there's been a few times this year where, like,

the theme is like iced out jerseys. And we're far from the action. And he's got to figure out who the guys are. Yeah. And when the numbers are the same color as the jersey, I'm like, dude. It happens all, in every sport, they come up with some, you know, a third jersey or whatever where they try to do something. To sell them clearly.

And they concern themselves more with the aesthetics to make it look cool as opposed to thinking about the play-by-play guy. Totally. But he's not alone. I've heard a lot of guys say that over the years. Do you know how disgusted you are when you show up to the stadium? You're like, I can't tell who that guy is. What do you want me to do if I can't see the number?

Bingo. There's certain guys, too, that are, you know, you can tell by their stature. Right. You're going to get the quarterback right all the time. Correct. But there's a few guys where it's like, man, they look like very similar. Exactly. Yeah, right.

A couple of slot receivers. That's the same guy. How the hell can you know who's? He's been great. Dustin's been great. He's been great. I feel bad for the play-by-play guys. A lot of times, the biggest thing is the jersey.

And if you can find, if the numbers are hidden and stuff like that, you sometimes teams have third jerseys that you can't really see a guy. You're right. You need to know a guy by stature or by the way that they play in that. But there is, the play-by-play. people, I do not envy when you are a mile away trying to figure it out. Just creating the energy from that far away is the most impressive thing. Well, there's conformity in the NFL, right?

Like in the NHL, you can tell some, like a left shot, right shot you can pick off differently. Maybe a guy tucks his jersey in so you can pick him off. You can't do that in the CFO or the NFL. And the CFL is also tough because it's a bit more, I mean, the NFL is too, but it's a bit more of a revolving door. Right. There's like way more, there's more, literally more guys on the field, too, right? Different packages and stuff like that. Yeah, Dusty.

Dustin Nielsen, Friday night football. Little growing his salad out too. Yeah, I know. Boys, I got jammed up. Okay, I am. I got jammed up, though. Okay, I went, and I had it nice and long, but I went in, and I was like, hey, preseason cut.

You know, they say they try and trick you. And they're like, hey, I just want a little bit taken off, so it'll grow nicer. Next thing you know, I look like a punk emo kid from the wedding crashes. Yeah. I'm Todd with the painting. You're Todd. You're staring at Vince Vaugh. So you just said just a trim so it grows out properly.

Yeah. And the guy butchered you. He got me, man. I'm going to be honest. It's like it was really, I think I went to too nice of a place. You know what I'm saying? Like you don't want it to like, when I left there, I was like, this is really feminine right now.

See, I went the opposite way recently, which I haven't done in a long time. Supercuts. I went to a place that had clips in the name. And they do. the opposite because you do have to be defensive when you're like i have thick hair and it grows pretty fast and i it's happened to me what happened to you i'm like just take a little off and before you know it way too much yeah yeah the last barber i had took that to heart and literally did like a double clip that said you're gone i'm like dude you can't you got to keep

going any of those junk but any of those trash places you could literally say a variety of thing. Let's say you said, five, you're walking out with the same salad. Oh, dude. I was like, Shana-Han with a clipboard. I'm like, you got, okay, see over here? Like, I was basically calling plays. By the end of it, I'm like, you got to get more on the back. You haven't touched the back. You did a clip at the front. The back's a disaster. But I am growing up. I'm not so much like, not man bun, but I'm trying to get like the more like Tim Riggins's Friday Night Lights file. Okay. I like that. We'll be ready for the Grey Cup. It should be. Right? Because that's going to be big. And, O and I said the same thing, almost

like identically yesterday. We were talking about how this is a year where the Arbos is going to win the Great Cup. I'm telling you, they're going to finish nine and nine. They do this all the time. They do it every second year, second or third year. They do it all the time. The turn of the ball and at an alarming rate.

They're going to finish five hundred. They have to be one team in Montreal. I mean, they're going to make the playoffs, yes. They're going to host a playoff game, and they're going to win the first one probably against Hamilton. And then they've got to beat Montreal. It's going to be a crossover. Fine.

Whoever it happens to be. The West is a wagon. They are going to win that game at BMO. Are the boys coming to Calgary? Yes. Can I put this out here right now? Can I put this out here right now? I don't want any in-and-outs this year, man.

You guys came in. You were like a thief in the night. You disappeared last year. It was a catch and release. It was a quick exit. We're going to dinner in Calgary for the Grey Cup. Noodles? We're going to dinner.

Hayes. I'll be there, man. And Steeke. And Stogee. Yeah. You got to see Doogie on the road. Doogie's grinding on the road. Dude, you broke Doogie's heart at the Super Bowl.

He thought one night you were going to bring him out. out. Me? Yeah. And you gasped him and you didn't bring him anywhere and he was devastating. I was locked in, man. We had to win. Yeah. I know you guys did win the Super Bowl and there's been some back and forth. You're going to be on the clock. We'll get to your pick in about 15 minutes. But I still, to this day, people are stopping me in the street about how inspiring Al's brother and I were last year with the way we performed. Again. The comeback. I mean, it had people that hadn't.

Totally. But I mean, you said it to you're saying your message to me. Like, it was a fluke. Well, I wouldn't necessarily see that. I mean, you guys kind of choked a little bit, which helps in terms of the point going back and forth. Yeah. So you're claiming that I sent this to you, but via Instagram DM? This is a text message. Read your messages, first of all. A lot of people say you have 119 messages unread?

Yeah, I don't read my phone that left. What the hell are you doing on your phone? So go ahead and read what you're claiming I sent to you. Well, it says you said, Luke, with the new season starting, is there any chance who can consider back-sabbing O-Dog and joining forces with me. I'll be honest, Al's bro can't get it done. We were flat out embarrassed in the playoff Super Bowl last year. The season was a complete fluke.

I need to get over the hump and win a championship this year. Let me know your thoughts and how we should position this. That's fraudulent, and I will not accept that. Lawyers will be addressing it's publicly soon. But we do have a problem with winning in the playoffs. Al's brother and I, we joke. We get to the playoffs, and it's really, we basically, turn it into the Buffalo Bills.

But the regular season is a long grind. I would like, can I put something out here? Okay, and I don't know, O'Dog, if we can agree with this, maybe Noodles is the final. He has the gavel on this. All right. I would like this year to operate more so like European soccer. Where the championship, you win the Premier League,

it's by the regular season. Okay. You want to do that? I want, I don't even, okay, we can have another thing in the playoffs. It's almost like a press where like you can, you know, there's something on. We can do something for the playoffs, but the big ordeal here is the regular season, and that is the King Daddy Topper, as you guys like to say.

I'm happy to accept that. We will play the role of Arsenal, Manchester City. I totally agree. The regular season is where it's all at, and the Super Bowl and the playoffs is just like a fun game afterwards. Okay. I love it. Let's establish it right now. Let's establish it.

It's been agreed. Well, and it starts tonight with Seattle. Are you willing? Hang on a sec. Are you willing, Hayes? And I don't know if you're going to front A, B. I'm pretty sure you can do it. 500 man as like an aunt, like.

Oh, we want like cash on the line. Alice Brothers is getting married in the fall. You've got to remember that. He's planning it. He's got a new life. He's got a lead turn. Yeah. You're taking a G for him.

We're playing. Yeah, I can bite the bullet for Alice brother. I'm sure he'd put up cash like that. No, not you. I'm saying. Aren't you guys going to win? Well, of course we are. I'd never lose in the regular season. Five hunch.

All right. Lock it in. Alice brother, he's going to be on here tomorrow and he'll come on and he'll go. There's a piece of the action for you if you help us out this year, bud. I mean, Joe from the bridge is already, he comes to your defense immediately on the group chat. Doogie, JP, you got everyone in your corner, including what I think is a layup tonight. I think Seattle is primed to lay a beating on New England this evening. But how do you feel about this being the game, a repeat of the Super Bowl?

Like just in general, if you're running the operation based on entertainment, is this the game you would want to pick? I think it's awesome. Yeah? I really do. I think it's really cool that you start out with like, hey, these are the two best teams. Let's set the tone this year. Do you think they are the two best teams, though? No, I think the Rams and the Seahawks are the two best teams.

Okay. I think New England, I'm not a New England guy. Okay, everyone knows that. But you've got to give the devil who's due here. Because of what happened with, because of what happened with Rayball, which we can get into. A wild story, man. There's been a lot, and because they got beat down battling in Super Bowl, there's been a lot of negative chatter about the Patriots team.

I don't really see it. Like, I don't see, do I think they're going to win 14 games again? No. Do I think they're going to win 12? Yes. Do I think they're going to win the division? I think that's going to be obviously very close with Buffalo. I think they definitely can win the division.

Can they get back to Super Bowl? Absolutely. Yeah, they're a good team. You're right. They're a good team. Last year, a lot of people thought had the end. MVP a quarterback. Their wide receiver room went from Safon Diggs

and a group of guys to AJ Brown and Romeo Dobbs. Your guy. Your guy. Don't pump his time. Your guy. Dobbs. He's hurt a lot. He drops balls. I'm not his biggest fan of the world. But Brown's a stunt. Brown is a star. And Dobbs will be a nice underneath guy for him. And then you got Hunter Henry. Stevenson is a very good back.

Two good backs. I think Henderson's jammed up now. We'll see about that. But he's going to play. I believe. I don't know if he's playing tight, but... He's out tonight. Yeah, I mean, they're still... They're going to have a two-headed monster, I think, in the fact. So, and Drable's obviously a defensive guy. You just signed Christian Gonzalez.

Like, I don't really get where these bad vibes for New England comes from. I think it was scheduled partially. Yes, totally. During the regular season and the playoffs for that matter, they got a little bit lucky in certain times. And then once they finally met their match, they got pumped by Seattle.

And, you know, I'd have to look back on history, but how difficult it is to get... get back off the mat after losing. Yeah. You know, like, I remember the Eagles a few years ago when they lost to the Chiefs, I think the next year they really struggled. Using them as an example. But maybe there's a step back before you take another

step forward. I don't know. But listen, they've got, like, we hand four wins to the bills based on who they're playing against with Miami and the Jets. The same thing applies with New England. Totally. If you start 4 and O right off the bat, that's a really good start. You split with the bills and you're in your

division, unless you blow a terrible game. You're 5 and 1. In your division, if you get a split with Buffalo. That's big. Like, you know, they're going to be there at the end of the year. So parts, like, as players coming back into the locker room with

Vrabel walking around, would anybody dare take a pot shot, or would that be offside? Would he address that? Like, how would this all go down? Because it would have to be an uncomfortable first encounter with the players? This is what's tough.

And like I'd love to hear how the hockey world operates. But the football world, you know, we play once a week. You have the whole offseason, which we have a long offseason. We have a long training camp. So a lot of that, like every day in Seattle we were in there, Pete Carroll, and same thing in Detroit, Patricia. Like the head coach gives some sort of speech. Every day? Every day.

Like not like a raw, raw. Sometimes it's just like, hey, here's we're at. This is what the goal are. Like, you know, so we would have a quote unquote team meeting with the week starts Wednesday. right after special teams in Seattle, Pete would have about a 15 to 20-minute team meeting. You might go over a little bit on the team. You might go over, hey, guys, is what I want to focus on this week. There could be a motivational guy they brought in, but, like, he's talking.

That's pretty standard. So my question for you guys is, like, what I wonder about New England, I think it's their biggest red flag, is a lot of this talking in that league is protect the team, put the team first. Like every coach is a different way of saying it. Okay. One of the years, it was like Seahawks 24-7 was a slogan we used, which was like, hey, even though you leave the building, you're still a representation of the building.

You're still like a Seattle Seahawk. Don't do anything dumb. It's all about the logo on the front. Bingo. So like now all of a sudden, when Braves is up there and is like, hey, protect the team. I mean, my guys out here, I don't know what lingo I'm allowed to

and not allowed to use on your race. radio show. But my guys out here, you know, acting inappropriately, the relationship he shouldn't be. You got his hand in the cookie. Correct. It's a bit rich now when it's like, hey, protect the team. But oh, by the way, I was in a national scandal. Okay, but let me ask the three of you guys. Again, I'm not asking for names. But my understanding is, like, behind a scene, everyone kind of know, yeah, that coach, I know what he's up to. Like, this isn't the first coach in sports history to have like a woman on the side.

Yeah. Like let's put it down. I guess that's what I'm saying. It's different because it's public. Yes. But I would guess you guys all played for someone at some point were like, I saw that guy at the bar the other night. I could, like I know what he was up there. Yep. Like it's not the first time. A hundred percent. I guess is what I'm saying. I've seen all kinds of things in my lifetime on all different levels. Players, everything. And I honestly, I've never thought one thing about it.

I'm not going to approach somebody. I'm not going to say I saw you because, hey, if I saw you, I was there too. So it's like, I'm not going to go up to somebody and say, hey, what were you doing? It's like, I was there too. I have never ever thought anything about that. But this guy is on a different level because it was blasted all over the news. And it's so public. Yeah, it's so public.

The leaking of information stuff is also a bit sketch. Is A.J. Brown not, like, because that was out there for a long time. Rusini was pushing. He's going to New England. Correct. And now he is in New England. Like, and there was a few other things of like, I think Rossini quoted where people are like, well, we're not, we can't fully confirm that this is from Brable. But like, it's from Brable. Yeah, who's like pretty much exactly from Brable.

So I've kind of sitting here where I'm like, all right, like, like O'Dock said, you know, what happens at home. everyone has a different lifestyle. But it's like now when we're kind of using that lifestyle to gain some sort of perception influence on players in the league and situations in the league, it's getting a little offside.

Well, no one's going to give her the benefit of the doubt in the future. Any kind of scoop or comment she has, everyone's going to be thinking, how'd you get that? Yeah, where'd you get it from? What's the source? You don't think people have gone through all of her clips on sidelines and like inside scoops and saying,

wow, I mean, she got pulled over and she was trying to, she was asking the cop who his favorite team was and tried to call the head coach. Could you imagine, like, being at that level of just, I am above the law? What a move. What, like, I called the coach. Yeah, I think it was Minnesota. Yeah, she got off, though. I don't remember. She didn't get off on the ticket, though.

Yeah, the guy, like, held tight. He's like, yeah, you don't have him in your roller decks. Like, you know, that's a thing. You know what? There's scandals everywhere, and the next perfect person we meet will be the only one. You know, this one is national news. It's unfortunate. But Hayes, you asked, yes, there's been people in management, there's been coaches,

there's been players that have been involved in all sorts of nonsense. I just think, and I say this all the time, they need to get playing. But if they get spanked tonight, that's the concern, right? If New England's no good and Brable's, you know, facing bullets from everywhere, you know how noisy it'll get, correct? Totally. Yeah. If he, exactly, like he calls a bad time out, you know.

But he won't. The guys, the guys. I know, he's going to be dialed in. I'm not, I wouldn't be concerned about where his head is at. I'm almost more concerned that he's, you know, allegedly living a clean lifestyle. You know, sometimes these guys like, when you're in the gutter like that, that's where you're comfy, you know, that's your thing. now he found he found Jesus now I don't know but it's like hey I'm you know I'm not running and gunning like that anymore

well there's a lot of games like early in the season that are I hear what you're saying overreaction overreaction Monday is a big thing right you've got this game tonight the game tomorrow in Australia is a huge game that Rams Niners you got Bill's tech The NFL is cooking with the stuff. Right off the bat, it's like there are going to be multiple really good teams that are 0-1-1 and people are going to be asking like, what's the deal with these guys? And it's not easy. The only team I think it's somewhat easy for is Seattle.

Because if they lose tonight, it's like you just want a Super Bowl. The banner went up and all that. Hey, we're going to write the ship here. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I look at Buffalo and I think Buffalo's top five team this year, really do. Now, a lot of that is dependent on DJ more, but if they come out against the Texans, you know, and they get beat up a little bit,

it's going to be... And then you got Detroit opening night in your new park on a short week. And I think they're going to be a good team this year of the Lions. I agree with that, so it... Tough. Well, what about my bills, Luke? Where are you at with them?

Yeah, I think they're going to... I think they're top five team. You know, I really do, noodles. The big guy for me is DJ. more. I find that the run game is going to be one of the best in the league. That's what I would assume, barring no injuries.

Josh Allen's one of the best in the league. There's no doubt about that. I always felt like, okay, throwing the football, it was, they've been good at it, but it'd be really nice to have like a 1A guy that you can just say, hey, you know what, this isn't really progression, this isn't really a, we're

going to read, we're going to motion, we're going to kind of manipulate this defense, we're going to guide that we can know who can win. and we're going that direction. And then that, to me, can open up a lot of the other guys as well. And I do believe DJ Moore has that ability. So that would be a big one for me. Now, again, it's not an easy start.

So you feel for them, but that being said, like on the flip side, you start that season 2 and 0, and now you're really humming. Now you're flying. Now you're like, we're beating everybody up. A couple of years ago, it might have been three years ago now, that CINC with Joe Burrell, everybody thought that he was the guy that could take care of Mahomes because he did it once, went to a Super Bowl.

They haven't protected him since they got to that Super Bowl, and they've been garbage. Do you see Joe Burrow flipping the switch, or is the team still junk? And is that like a complete mess there, and he needs to move on and go play football somewhere else? I think they're going to be better, but do I think that that team is ready to consistently not?

Because what I found with them is, like, all of a sudden, you know, Joe gets hurt, and then Joe comes back, and they have, like, one game where you're like, this team looks like a Super Bowl winning team, then they have another game where, like, this team looks awful. Yeah. We're like, is this team ready to go week in and week out against, and their division is okay. I wouldn't say it's as dominant has been in the past.

But do I see this team being able to sit there? Let's say they do make the playoffs, which is a huge if, and say, all right, their playoff path consists of New England, Buffalo, Denver, and knocking off those three teams, I just, I have a very hard time believing that they're ready to do that. All right. So the first pick of the season is, in my opinion, a layup for you guys. You've got Seahawks minus three and a half at home against New England. Now, maybe you see it differently, which would make a lot of sense because we're back into the regular season. This is generally where you guys struggle. This is where we see the board very clearly.

I guess we'll find out pretty quickly because, again, Al's brothers coming up tomorrow. he's going to answer for what happened tonight. He's going to have our pick for tomorrow. The two of us will consult on that. But the floor is yours for the first pick of the year. Pahawks minus three and a half. Parts. I think it's a slam dunk without question. I'm not sure about you.

Partsie, I'm leaning New England, my friend. Oh, I love it. I love this. I told you noodles. These guys, they can't be on the same page. Okay. I'll go. Talk me. I don't know.

I've got to talk me. I always, it's so hard to argue with you being a four. former NFL player. So you do, like, you just make me shake my head, but go ahead. The floor is yours. So there's two reasons. I do like Seattle to win. If it was under three, I would pick Seattle.

But the idea, theoretically, it's not a back-to-back. I'm not saying that. But you do have the most recent Seattle film. So you've had all off-season to sit here and prep what they did on defense to you in the Super Bowl and adjust. It's the same coordinators. now you add I really believe that New England is better offensively. Like, A.J. Brown, and I know Hayes is saying Dobbs is not that great, he has had injury issues, but when he is rolling, I think he is a very, very good receiver.

So you have a very nasty one-two punch in there. Yes, Drake May has all-off season to study this film and compete. The blind leading the blind. No, dude, no. It's that Clint Kubiak is gone. Look at the Detroit Lions. That is significant. Detroit Lions from two years ago, lose Ben Johnson.

And everybody, except for the smart people, except for the smart people, we're like, it's not that big one ordeal. Next thing you know, it was a massive ordeal. You have preached the importance of the coordinators, man. You lose Clinton Cuviac. This is Brian Fleury's first game with this team. You don't have a, we're Kenneth Walker, who was the MVP of the game against New England.

Right. In Kansas City now. In Kansas City. Like, this got, this has the, making of a either way. Lock it in. Field goal, last second kick. Lock it in. Plus, the NFL is somewhat rigged.

Lock it in. Lock it in. Lock it in. Lock it in. Pats, you're taking the points? Parts of your Pat's guy. Drake May's your guy. Yeah, always has been. Lock it in. Lock it in. I'll tell you what, if you blow this one, though, your voice is empty next week. I'm sorry.

And next week, I'm going to see you tomorrow. I'm going to be happy. I couldn't be happy. I didn't see this one coming, Al's brother. How could we miss you? Did you hear that commentary right now? What do you think of that selection, Al's brother? They took the points.

They're on the pads tonight. We got a layup. We were going to hand them a 1-0 lead for the first time ever for them. I told them, like, make the right pick tonight, because it's the last time you're going to be over 500 for the rest of the year, and they fumbled the ball. Wow. Fumbled the ball, just like Ramon Jerry Stevenson does every single game,

just like he's going to do tonight, fumbles. the football. I tell you what, man, I'm happy to be on the defending champs. Me too. I'm happy, being the regular season defending champs, I am happy that we are on the reigning Super Bowl champions to start the night. And I'll tell you what, I'm not all that concerned about the Seattle Seahawks because it wasn't the offense that they were worried about. It was that defense that is what made them so great last year. So, okay, Clint Kubiak's gone, the offensive coordinator. Big whoop. It's the defense that gave them troubles and fits last year. You're right, Elst.

I don't know how you can sit here with this partner who can't win a championship, has yet to win championship, has one fluke, regular season win, and he says things they lost their offensive coordinator, Big Wolf. Wow, he's a Mike McDonald guy. When I think of Seattle and I think TSN, I think Al's brother. Personally, I always have, right, Alice Brother? I've always told you that. Absolutely.

I've always thought of you as a Seahawk first. Well, Alice Brother, it's great to see you. These guys are trying to wedge, you know, between us and trying to put us in a bad head space. You're going to tell me you didn't text me that today? Absurd. Completely fraudulent. You know that else, brother. You and I, we complete each other.

AI slob. AI slob. A. Absolutely AI slop. Well, it's great to see you. This guy looking like he had his head wedged in an armpit earlier today. What's up with that? Yeah.

What is that? Yesterday I go on Twitter and this guy's got some armpit thing. I'm like, you know, last year, 47. What are we talking about? Arm pit guy. Wow, the old mystery. Your armpit guy. Yeah.

I don't know. I didn't see the old miss. The long story is. I was on the Calgary. Sam's fan. I don't if you saw that. I don't think I did. I'll look into that one. We'll find that, right, Dugge? Alice, brother, you and I on the clock tomorrow, though.

Rams minus four. Now Miles Garrett didn't practice today. They're down in Australia. I'm all out of whack. I don't know what the hell is going on. I know. We'll figure that game out. We'll figure it out. Great seeing you Pardcy and buckle up, buddy. Big year. We can't wait. It's going to be amazing. It's going to be a fun year, boys.

It's going to be a fun year, boys. House brother. Luke Wilson, great seeing you guys. You guys have locked in the Patriots tonight plus three and a half. The battle for every yard. The chase for the end zone. The roar of Bill's Mafia. Buffalo Bill's football has a new home on TSN Radio.

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