Buffalo Plus Podcast Summary

Episode: What They're Saying in New Orleans about BILLS vs SAINTS with Jeff Nowak
Date: September 24, 2025
Guests: Jeff Nowak (Inside Black and Gold Podcast, WWL New Orleans), Dan Fetes (Buffalo Plus team)
Main Theme: An insider’s look at the New Orleans Saints from the local media perspective as they prepare to face the Buffalo Bills, focusing on the team’s rebuild, personnel, offensive strategy, and expectations for the matchup.

Episode Overview

This episode brings Jeff Nowak, Saints sideline reporter and host of Inside Black and Gold, onto the Buffalo Plus show. The conversation provides a deep dive into the current state of the New Orleans Saints, featuring insights on their new coaching staff, quarterback situation, veteran leadership, and the challenges facing a team in transition as they face a dominant Bills squad.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rebuilding Saints: Where They Stand

Timestamps: 01:23–06:28

• The Saints are in a clear rebuild mode post-Drew Brees/Sean Payton era, but are not tearing the roster down to the studs; they’re keeping key veterans like Cam Jordan and Demario Davis for leadership and stability.
• New head coach Kellen Moore is navigating “take your medicine” type expectations in a season where progress, not results, is the main marker.
• Jeff Nowak compares the Bills' ability to circumvent cap issues with the Saints' current dead money focusing on Derek Carr and the future benefit of a rookie quarterback contract.
• “They're not just going to ship those guys out and, and say, okay, the rookies can handle it. Like they're going to try to do it the right way. And, and I do think there's value in that.” (Jeff Nowak, 04:15)

2. Quarterback Situation: Spencer Rattler Evaluation

Timestamps: 06:28–08:36

• Spencer Rattler has been solid statistically (67% completions, 200+ yards/game, 4 TDs, 1 INT), but the offense is extremely conservative.
• Rattler is playing it safe, getting the ball out quickly, and avoiding big risks: “He's operating kind of like end of career Tom Brady in that way…I'm not gonna let you hit me. I'm gonna throw the ball before you get here.” (Jeff Nowak, 07:44)
• The Saints focus on long, plodding drives but have trouble finishing for touchdowns.

3. Wide Receivers: Chris Olave & Rashid Shaheed

Timestamps: 08:36–12:11

• Chris Olave’s usage is limited by the system; notable stat: 10 catches for 57 yards last game (“Those are running back numbers,” Dan, 07:37).
• Olave is physically fine; no signs of playing scared, but the offense doesn’t take deep shots, and his skillset is partly redundant with deep threat Rashid Shaheed.
• Frustration is mounting among receivers due to the conservative playcalling. “You talk to him post game and they're just like, we're gonna keep doing it, we're gonna keep running these short hitches…” (Jeff Nowak, 10:53)
• Shaheed hasn't been utilized deep as much due to both injury last season and the current offensive philosophy.

4. Alvin Kamara's Role & Usage

Timestamps: 13:32–15:38

• Kamara remains an effective runner, but his pass-game usage (especially in screen/wheel concepts) has diminished since Sean Payton and Drew Brees left.
• Saints’ playcalling is characterized as “bowling with bumpers” – controlled, risk-averse, and limiting explosive potential.

5. Coaching & Culture: Kellen Moore’s Start

Timestamps: 15:38–18:23

• Fans’ excitement is measured; recognition that Moore inherited a tough situation, “a take your medicine season.”
• Effort and competitiveness in early games (tight contests vs. Cardinals and 49ers) were promising, but the week three blowout loss in Seattle has Soured optimism.
• “As long as he's got this team playing like we saw in weeks one and two, people are excited about it. When it gets to...that type of effort or your players do at the very least, you don't last very long as a coach.” (Jeff Nowak, 17:35)

6. Expectations & Progress

Timestamps: 18:23–22:43

• The focus is on progress: being competitive, limiting unforced errors, and bouncing back from bad performances.
• “No team is as bad as they look on their worst day or as good as they look on their best day. The reality is always somewhere in the middle.” (Jeff Nowak, 20:22)
• Saints are huge underdogs; success for Moore is showing preparation and effort, not necessarily a win.

7. Saints Defense: What Will the Bills Face?

Timestamps: 22:43–26:52

• Defense is transitioning from a 4-3 to a 3-4. Possibly without Chase Young, which would be a significant loss.
• Cam Jordan (age 35) is overextended without Young; lack of pass rush is a concern, putting pressure on a young, vulnerable secondary.
• The Saints have been decent against the run, but are susceptible to plays over the top due to soft zone coverages and inexperienced DBs: “There's just these gaping holes where, if you have receivers that understand where to find the gaps in the zones, they could eat it up.” (Jeff Nowak, 25:10)

8. Bills Offense & Strategic Matchup

Timestamps: 25:28–28:44

• Bills have played conservatively in the passing game (short air yards) but this could be a matchup to test deeper shots.
• Saints safeties lack range, making them targets for deeper passes if the Bills choose to open things up.

9. Special Teams Impact

Timestamps: 30:50–34:16

• Saints lost their last game largely due to catastrophic special teams breakdowns (95-yd punt return, blocked punt, 60-yd kickoff return).
• For a team with small margins, special teams failures are devastating: “Special teams becomes your lifeblood. Like, you cannot surrender points there if you want to have a chance.” (Jeff Nowak, 31:31)
• Both agree that a team with elite QB talent can sometimes overcome such errors, but New Orleans currently can’t.

10. Formula for Saints to Compete

Timestamps: 35:13–37:27

• The Saints must start fast and play with a lead to have any chance; playing from behind (as they have all year) is a recipe for disaster.
• “I don't know what they're even going to look like playing with the lead. … You just need to have a good start to a game, like build some confidence and have scoreboard pressure on the other team.” (Jeff Nowak, 35:37)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Saints’ rebuild strategy:
  “They're not tearing things down to the studs the way some teams might. They do value the veteran players … there's value in that.” (Jeff Nowak, 04:08)

• On Rattler’s playing style:
  “He's operating kind of like end of career Tom Brady in that way … I'm not gonna let you hit me. I'm gonna throw the ball before you get here.” (Jeff Nowak, 07:44)

• On receivers’ frustration:
  “You talk to him post game and they're just like, we're gonna keep doing it, we're gonna keep running these short hitches…” (Jeff Nowak, 10:53)

• On Kellen Moore’s expectations:
  “When it gets to the level that we saw last week, you don't last very long as a coach if you repeatedly put out that type of effort.” (Jeff Nowak, 17:35)

• On team’s up-and-down performance:
  “No team is as bad as they look on their worst day or as good as they look on their best day. The reality is always somewhere in the middle.” (Jeff Nowak, 20:22)

• On defensive scheme and weaknesses:
  “There's just these gaping holes where, if you have receivers that understand where to find the gaps in the zones, they could eat it up.” (Jeff Nowak, 25:10)

• On the crucial role of special teams:
  “Special teams becomes your lifeblood. Like, you cannot surrender points there if you want to have a chance.” (Jeff Nowak, 31:31)

Key Timestamps

• 01:23 — Saints’ 2021 Thanksgiving game memory, expectations for upcoming matchup
• 03:43 — Salary cap, rebuild philosophy, and keeping veterans
• 06:28 — Assessment of rookie QB Spencer Rattler
• 09:26 — Chris Olave’s health and current usage
• 12:11 — Rashid Shaheed’s fit and deep ball issues
• 13:32 — Alvin Kamara’s current role and effectiveness
• 15:38 — Kellen Moore’s head coach debut, fan mood
• 18:23 — Comparisons to early McDermott-era Bills
• 20:12 — Progress and realistic expectations
• 22:43 — Saints defense, injuries, scheme change, youth in the secondary
• 25:28 — Bills’ short passing game and offensive critique
• 28:44 — Saints’ run defense and vulnerabilities
• 30:50 — The impact of special teams and learning/growing from bad losses
• 33:04 — League-wide special teams volatility and how elite QBs can mask mistakes
• 35:13 — “If you’re going to make it competitive” – the Saints’ best possible game plan

Tone & Language

The tone is candid and realistic, with an undercurrent of hope and professional assessment. Jeff Nowak brings dry humor and self-awareness, especially when addressing the Saints' numerous problems (“My totally upbeat predictions for this team.” 37:37). Dan Fetes offers perspective from his decades of covering the Bills, connecting team-building narratives and matchup histories throughout.

Conclusion

This episode provides in-depth context for the Bills-Saints matchup, exploring the Saints' struggles, transition, and what Buffalo fans should expect from their opponent. The consensus is clear: the Saints are in a full-on evaluation and rebuild phase, lacking offensive dynamism and margin for error, while the Bills enter as heavy favorites. New Orleans can only hope to stay competitive by starting fast, avoiding catastrophic errors, and keeping the game close into the second half.

Find more from Jeff Nowak and Saints coverage at:

• [Inside Black and Gold podcast]
• [WWL.com]
• Twitter: @jeff_nowak

Buffalo Plus will continue coverage all week on YouTube and at their live show Thursday night.