Humor me...

[dannydyn]

Morning fellas,

Season is over and we’re onto 2026, but before we flip the page I have one lingering thought on my mind as I try to decide what to make of Drake Maye regular season performance vs. his post season. Granted, the caliber of teams we faced in the playoffs was better, we did face some decent defenses throughout the regular season as well and seemed to handle them just fine.

I’m curious to know how much of the loss yesterday was on Drake Maye vs. the abysmal o-line play and/or receivers. The roster has been largely intact personnel wise throughout the season, especially in the o-line (outside Campbell’s injury which I think he hasn’t looked the same since….).

So humor me on this one: Replay last night’s game in your head for a moment - same EXACT teams but you swap out Maye for a 2nd year Tom Brady…. What do you think the outcome of the game would have been? Still a loss? Closer loss? Worse loss? Again – not veteran Brady but a 2nd year one. Would a 2nd year Brady fared better last night? And before some of you say “Brady DID win a Superbowl his second year”… The 2001 Rams and the 2025 Seahawks are not the same teams. Rams had a great offense, and Pats showed up with awesome defense. Granted Brady played as good as he possibly could have in that Superbowl, but I think the challenge in that game was more about stopping the “Greatest Show on Turf”. Last night however, Seattle was a more complete team. So I’m wondering if all that bashing (especially outside this region) of Drake Maye is really justified? Could he have done a better job last night? Is it all on the o-line? Is it on both? Would a 2nd year Brady (same exact play calls, same o-line, same receivers) have fared better against that Seattle defense?

Just curious to hear your thoughts.

 

[EddardSnow67]

This thread will be a good barometer for who's reasonable and who's just a doomer with a feeling bad about themselves fetish.

 

[dannydyn]

This thread will be a good barometer for who's reasonable and who's just a doomer with a feeling bad about themselves fetish.

Huh? Not sure if this jab is against me, but I'm just curious how much of last night was really on Maye given his MVP-level season. That's all. Doomer? Fetish? The F are you talking about? If don't have anything good to say, learn to move on.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

2001 Tom might keep us in that game a little longer but we weren’t beating that Seahawks team without a huge turnover or huge st play, which didn’t happen . I underestimated how good Seattle was tbh and thought we could beat them straight up. When the LT gives up 14 pressures and the LG isn’t really any better, while the rest of Seattle’s D held up solid there’s not alot you can do.

Our d did everything they could but even without us turning it over Seattle was going to end up with at least 15-19 points, between jsn/walker/kupp/shaheen someone was going to break through eventually. Couple in how good their st’s was- kicker and coverage were rock solid, punter was a damn monster, thats a good freaking team.

 

[yukon cornelius]

i'm old and memory fades, but i seem to remember winning a ton of games despite a young tom brady - he struggled with pressure, although he never saw as abysmal line as we saw last night - the book on him was pressure up the middle, and early in his career his escapability was not solid

hard to say, the game has evolved a ton - he had a bit more swagger than young drake, but he also never experienced the utter lack of protection maye has seen this year, either

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

I feel Drake will improve. This O-Line needs work but like I said in a previous thread, we need that edge. We have it but its it bravado or is it battle ready. A gut check will figure that out.

This is a fantastic organization, a great coach and O coordinator and a good nucleus moving forward. An improved line gives our young qb time and confidence.

I am riding with Drake. He will lead this team for the next 5-7 years I feel and depending on his performance….longer. He has the skill set. It’s the will that needs to continue to harden…for them all….

 

[RobertWeathers]

We've seen Tom have some absolutely putrid games when the line was ****. 2015 vs DEN might be a bit of an outlier but he was also in year 14 of his career and had Gronk, White and JE to throw to.

Drake is in year 2 vs a similar D and no Gronk, White or JE11 level receivers to throw to.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

We had issues running in the red zone. Need a better run game

 

[EddardSnow67]

Huh? Not sure if this jab is against me, but I'm just curious how much of last night was really on Maye given his MVP-level season. That's all. Doomer? Fetish? The F are you talking about? If don't have anything good to say, learn to move on.

Not at all a jab against you.

My point is that anyone who thinks another QB would have performed better probably also thinks this game calls into question whether or not Maye is the guy.

It doesn't, because nobody would have played well under the circumstances.

 

[Ross12]

IMO - Tom MIGHT have been a little better because he was better at the quick pass at that time, but he was also very raw - his second year in the league was the first year he had started games at all. He also would have been 1 year older than Drake at the time, I believe. But ultimately I don't think Tom could have done a whole lot against constant quick pressure from just 4 rushers and little to no run game. Even Tom at his absolute best would have had a very hard time.

 

[moosekill]

We had issues running in the red zone. Need a better run game

didn't get into the redzone last night.

 

[Lansdowne]

2001 Brady had a better OL, faced a strong but not as ferocious Rams defense, and thus had a little more time to throw than Maye did. Brady was sacked once, Maye sacked six times. The only thing I can suggest is that 2001 Brady was more poised, got the ball out quicker, better at processing and made better decisions with the ball. He’d still get sacked way more than he did in SB 36. My guess is this still would have been a loss but would’ve been closer.

 

[KCSVEN]

Probably would look the same as the Giants and 2nd Ram Super Bowls.
Eerily similar to Giants, 4-man pressure, guys can't get open though Brady was pressured it was not to the level of last night.
Of course, he had Welker and Moss. Welker was the guy that they couldn't cover short, that's the wr the Patriots needed last night. If Brady had Pop Douglas instead of Welker would they have even scored 14?

Brady keeps it closer because he doesn't turn it over as many times, but they lose.

 

[Nikolai]

I still think Maye was in his own head a bit, trying not to turn it over early. Whether it's because he said "**** it, we ball" or what, once he started slinging more, he got results...and turnovers. Problem was, the game was at a point where turnovers were a death knell.

And yes, I don't know of any quarterback who would be successful when his blindside tackle is giving up 14 pressures...unless you're just going to direct snap it to Barry Sanders.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I can't say, but I think with Brady, it's a completely different game. Brady was master of the short yardage, quick game. Maye looks for giant throws and holds it too long. Brady made bad O lines look better by getting it out quicker. Maye makes our average O line worse by holding the ball way too long. I think that's probably what McDaniels works with Maye on over the next year or so. It's a thing Josh Allen has had to learn and so many other great QBs. Stop trying to be Superman and be efficient.

 

[reflexblue]

Morning fellas,

Season is over and we’re onto 2026, but before we flip the page I have one lingering thought on my mind as I try to decide what to make of Drake Maye regular season performance vs. his post season. Granted, the caliber of teams we faced in the playoffs was better, we did face some decent defenses throughout the regular season as well and seemed to handle them just fine.

I’m curious to know how much of the loss yesterday was on Drake Maye vs. the abysmal o-line play and/or receivers. The roster has been largely intact personnel wise throughout the season, especially in the o-line (outside Campbell’s injury which I think he hasn’t looked the same since….).

So humor me on this one: Replay last night’s game in your head for a moment - same EXACT teams but you swap out Maye for a 2nd year Tom Brady…. What do you think the outcome of the game would have been? Still a loss? Closer loss? Worse loss? Again – not veteran Brady but a 2nd year one. Would a 2nd year Brady fared better last night? And before some of you say “Brady DID win a Superbowl his second year”… The 2001 Rams and the 2025 Seahawks are not the same teams. Rams had a great offense, and Pats showed up with awesome defense. Granted Brady played as good as he possibly could have in that Superbowl, but I think the challenge in that game was more about stopping the “Greatest Show on Turf”. Last night however, Seattle was a more complete team. So I’m wondering if all that bashing (especially outside this region) of Drake Maye is really justified? Could he have done a better job last night? Is it all on the o-line? Is it on both? Would a 2nd year Brady (same exact play calls, same o-line, same receivers) have fared better against that Seattle defense?

Just curious to hear your thoughts.

I blame the 0-line, specifically the left side, and i'll throw bradbury in as well. maye was under siege all game long.

 

[dannydyn]

Not at all a jab against you.

My point is that anyone who thinks another QB would have performed better probably also thinks this game calls into question whether or not Maye is the guy.

It doesn't, because nobody would have played well under the circumstances.

Thank you, wasn't sure if was meant towards me, and I apologize if I came out guns blazing....

FWIW, I personally believe not even Tom Brady year 2 would have gotten us a win. Perhaps a slightly closer loss, but not a win. That O-line is trash.

 

[dannydyn]

I blame the 0-line, specifically the left side, and i'll throw bradbury in as well. maye was under siege all game long.

Would you have expected yr. 2 Brady to have done better in that setup? Serious question.

 

[Ross12]

I can't say, but I think with Brady, it's a completely different game. Brady was master of the short yardage, quick game. Maye looks for giant throws and holds it too long. Brady made bad O lines look better by getting it out quicker. Maye makes our average O line worse by holding the ball way too long. I think that's probably what McDaniels works with Maye on over the next year or so. It's a thing Josh Allen has had to learn and so many other great QBs. Stop trying to be Superman and be efficient.

That was Brady's key trait, but I don't know if he was that amazing at it in his first season starting. He was good, but he was raw.

 

[reflexblue]

Would you have expected yr. 2 Brady to have done better in that setup? Serious question.

Thats a good question, the offensive scheme was different. From what i remember there was a lot of short,quick dink and dunk passing going on back then. If he was there last night, with the same o-line and scheme i don't think so, not to the extent we would have won the game