The Patriots (11-2) did what the Patriots have done all season long on Monday night, beating the Giants (2-11) 33-15 to become the first team in the NFL to 11 wins this season.
It was yet another convincing victory for a team that has continued to exceed expectations every step of the way in 2025, dominating on both sides of the ball in an effort that bumped the Patriots in the Super Bowl futures market to +1100 - tying them with Buffalo (8-4) for the fifth best odds in the NFL, according to OddsTrader.
Second-year quarterback Drake Maye had yet another virtuoso performance, going 24 of 31 for 282 yards, with 2 touchdowns, no picks, and a passer rating of 126. He’s now the betting favorite to win the 2025 NFL MVP Award at BetMGM, and he continues to put his incredible arm talent on display week after week.
The accuracy downfield continues to be like something we’ve never seen before, even with Tom Brady at the helm for two decades at 1 Patriot Place. There’s numbers that back that up, but you’re immediately going to lose Pats fans when you cling to math in any sort of comparison conversation as it relates to the GOAT.
“Rings, bro. Banners. Lombardis. LFG…”
We’ve all heard it. And generally speaking, we all agree.
But on eye test alone, it’s hard to watch what this kid is doing on a weekly basis and not recognize that it’s different from the way Brady played the position.
This throw from Monday night, in particular, is a microcosm of Maye’s downfield greatness.
So when people want to compare what Maye is doing in his second season to what Brady was doing in his, it’s at least worthy of discussion.
Yes, Maye was a No. 3 overall pick where Brady was famously pick No. 199. With the benefit of hindsight, we know that was far too low. But that disparity between where these two players were selected speaks to how much closer Maye was to a finished product coming out of North Carolina than Brady was coming out of Michigan.
There are approximately 47 documentaries out there that explain why that is, no need to deep-dive into that topic today. Just know Drew Henson is involved in some capacity.
Regardless of how close or far away from Brady you feel Maye is at this point, there’s no denying the 23-year-old is playing at a much higher level in his second season than Brady did.
On Tuesday morning’s Greg Hill Show, Brady’s former teammate/Maye’s current head coach was asked about this discussion fans and media have been having for weeks.
“I know you don't like comparisons, but [Chris] Curtis, earlier this morning during his lead, said that this season, season two for a quarterback in Drake is better than Tom Brady was season No. 2.,” WEEI’s Greg Hill said to Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. “Any input from you on that?”
“No,” said Vrabel. “I mean, it probably was a different offense. And I would say - I mean, there were probably more screen passes, more underneath throws to Troy Brown. I think it was just a different game back then. It was 2001, and so I don't think things had quite opened up like they have now and with the different personnel groups and the multiple receiver sets.”
“Could you say that there has been more on Drake's shoulders here through 13 weeks than there was on Brady's in 2001, in terms of the roster, the team?” Curtis asked in a follow-up.
“I mean, that's a long time ago,” Vrabel said. “I don't really have the best memory of that. I just think that the circumstances around that season were very unique. And Tom being able to step in there and lead the football team and us - you know, 5-5 after 10 weeks, and whatever that season was, I think they're all different. But certainly that one was unique, and like nothing that I've been a part of.”
We all know what happened in 2001. This could be a case of Vrabel not wanting to put that type of weight on his group in 2025.
This type of answer is par for the course for Vrabel when it comes to comparisons of this team to the Patriots’ dynasty teams. When people ask him about the similarities, he’s constantly deflecting.
How does he really feel about where this team stacks up with the three championship teams he was a part of over 20 years ago?
Knowing Vrabel, we probably won’t know until he’s done coaching in New England.
And if Patriots fans are lucky, that will be a long ways away.
Tune in each and every Monday throughout the football season to Patriots Monday on WEEI. Head coach Mike Vrabel joins The Greg Hill Show at 6:30 a.m. ET, and quarterback Drake Maye joins WEEI Afternoons.