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The New England Patriots entered the 2025 season with expectations of competing for an AFC playoff spot under new head coach Mike Vrabel. 10 weeks into the campaign, those expectations have been exceeded as the team now stands among legitimate Super Bowl contenders while battling for the conference’s top seed.
During a recent segment of The Arena: Gridiron, Analyst Skip Bayless acknowledged the Patriots have assembled several pieces that could support a deep playoff run. Bayless weighed in on New England’s championship potential but expressed doubts about whether young quarterback Drake Maye possesses the necessary experience to handle postseason pressure.
“I am just not sold on this still young quarterback being battle-tested enough to beat Mahomes, Josh Allen, or even Danny Dimes in a playoff game,” Bayless said.
“I am just not sold on this still young quarterback being battle-tested enough to beat Mahomes, Josh Allen, or even Danny Dimes in a playoff game.”@RealSkipBayless & @AqibTalib21 are unsure if Drake Maye & the Patriots will make the Super Bowl even if they finish a 1 seed. pic.twitter.com/AwFYSC1PNM
— The Arena: Gridiron (@ArenaGridiron) November 14, 2025
Bayless credited the Patriots for surrounding Maye with strong supporting elements. He pointed to Vrabel’s leadership, the presence of Stefon Diggs as a primary weapon, and Christian Gonzalez anchoring the secondary.
New England’s run defense has emerged as the league’s best, providing a foundation capable of carrying the team through difficult matchups. His concerns center entirely on Maye’s lack of playoff experience against elite quarterbacks.
Bayless noted that Maye has displayed impressive composure during the regular season but remains unconvinced that those traits will translate against postseason competition. He dismissed reading too heavily into a recent victory over Tampa Bay, pointing out the Buccaneers were missing key offensive contributors during that contest.
The third overall pick from the 2024 draft has shown significant improvement in his second season. Maye has thrown for 2,836 yards with 20 touchdowns against only five interceptions while completing 71.9 percent of his attempts. Those numbers represent a major leap from his rookie campaign, when he totaled 2,276 yards across 13 games for a Patriots team that won just three of his starts.
NEXT: Mike Vrabel Reveals Why He Took Patriots Job
