Who should start Week 1?
- Thread starter DJnVa
- Start date
I voted want Maye but it’ll be Brissett.
I don’t feel strongly about it but I don’t see much developmental benefit to have Maye sit X number of weeks. Film and practice are great but he will need live reps.
The O line is a concern, maybe wait a month and see if they come together a bit but they also can’t hold him out until the line is fixed. At some point, he is going to have to go in behind them.
I don’t feel strongly about it but I don’t see much developmental benefit to have Maye sit X number of weeks. Film and practice are great but he will need live reps.
The O line is a concern, maybe wait a month and see if they come together a bit but they also can’t hold him out until the line is fixed. At some point, he is going to have to go in behind them.
Doesn't really matter. It's like asking if you should invest in an index fund today vs. tomorrow. We'll never know the difference in the long run. My only concern is if Maye starts, will he keep it. The bullshit mind games BB played last year with his QBs was entirely unacceptable.
The benching them in the middle of the game or just before the 2 minute warning when the other wasn't a demonstrably better option, yeah. Regardless of the options at hand, BB's QB management was the final F U of a guy who didn't buy into the groceries he had and didn't want to cook dinner anymore.
As someone who voted for the currently least popular option, let me explain the rationale. I "want" Brissett in the sense that I am on Team Sit Maye For at Least a Few Weeks. However, I think there is a small likelihood that some combination of factors - Maye being better, pressure to play the high draft pick rookie, Brissett's shoulder (I know he said it's fine, but still), Mayo panicking - result in Maye getting the start. I don't feel so strongly about this that I would put money on it, but I feel strongly enough to vote that way on an internet poll.
I saw it as "We told you that you couldn't do XYZ. You went and did XY" . BB's job wasn't to keep feelings from being hurt.
We see this all the time in other sports-- A winger in hockey doesn't make effort on D, he rides the bench for the 3rd period. A backup guard in basketball decides to play hero-ball... doesn't see the court the rest of the way. A star LF doesn't run out a groundball and gets benched. I don't see what BB did as being any different than what any coach would do. YVMV
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If AVP and the offensive coaching staff thinks Maye is mentally ready (which you can’t assess by watching him play vanilla on vanilla starters vs backups in the preseason) then I want him to start. If AVP and the offensive coaching staff do not think he’s ready he won’t start. My guess is JB starts week the first five to seven weeks and then Maye takes over. My guess means shit.
Edit: what I want is to trust the process. I don’t care where the staff lands as long as they are being smart about it. I also can’t assess if Maye is ready or not. Preseason play (especially this year for them) is not useless but it won’t answer the hard questions well enough for me to have a take on it. I didn’t vote for any of the options not because I’m trying to be difficult or anything but how I feel doesn’t nearly line up with any of the above.
Edit: what I want is to trust the process. I don’t care where the staff lands as long as they are being smart about it. I also can’t assess if Maye is ready or not. Preseason play (especially this year for them) is not useless but it won’t answer the hard questions well enough for me to have a take on it. I didn’t vote for any of the options not because I’m trying to be difficult or anything but how I feel doesn’t nearly line up with any of the above.
For those who want , how confident are you that he can handle the non physical aspects of the game? Administrative pre-snap, huddle, audibles, post snap processing, etc.
I don’t have a take here but I am curious to hear yours.
I don’t have a take here but I am curious to hear yours.
I don't really have an opinion on who should start, but I think they'll decide to rip the band-aid off and start Maye right out of the gate. Jacoby was bad this spring, and Maye progressed at a faster-than-expected pace this spring. Even if Brissett starts and goes back to being median Brissett, it won't stop the rumbling, and it'll be a distraction week over week.
I’m not confident in any rookie QB being ready right out of the chute with the mental aspect of the game. The real question for me is how quickly he can learn and I still think you learn best by doing, even if it’s clunky at first.
With that said, I won’t be upset at all if they let him watch for a few weeks. My only real deadline is Week 7 because I want Mac to watch our new shiny toy destroy his new team.
While I'm definitely in the give him a few weeks with the clipboard camp, I'd even do it for the barest reason. Let him get a feel like it is for being a Pro. Let him watch a professional QB go about his business during the week, prepping for the game. Being in the NFL is a completely different animal, and I'd rather have him take that in for a few weeks and soak it all in before having QB1 duties. This is a lost season no matter who starts, and while yes out the gate he'd be more fun to watch, we need to be patient
I was all for sitting Maye until Mayo was sure the OL wasn't going to get him killed in the first few weeks of the season. After seeing that the LT is just going to get flagged for lining up in the backfield every other play, I'm good with the limited danger snaps Maye will get. Let him throw a ton of TDs that will get called back. 
As well as anyone with his experience, which is to say it will take some time. But I'd say the same for Daniels, Nix, Williams, etc. (and Mac in 2021). I don't think more college experience matters too much. They all have to go through it. I'd also put a lot on the OC to organize things.
Not confident at all. I'm a fan. I know far less that most. I just want some fun, entertaining football. I think Maye'd be a lot of fun to watch this year. So I want to see Maye.
Basically how I feel, I lean slightly towards Brissett from what we know, just because AVP is the person I trust most to make that decision and his comments made it sound like while Maye is improving, JB is well ahead on that front. Now ultimately it's Mayo's decision (with some input from GM and ownership), but I would hope he'd lean heavily on AVP, developing Maye is a huge part of why they hired him.
Now maybe Maye just crushes it the next two weeks in practice, film, etc. and they decide to go with him, or Jacoby's shoulder is an issue, but based solely on what we're hearing now... I lean Brissett.
Pre-season games are kind of built for guys like Maye, because traits dominate, and the mental part doesn't. We see every year guys show out great, who can't handle real NFL games. I think Maye is going to be better than Brissett, and soon, but might make sense to let him ease in.. maybe week 5? Coming home off the 49ers game? Or I guess the Jags game in London?
I would very much like to see Maye start Week 1, but understand why Brissett might need to start the first few games. To me it has everything to do with not getting Maye killed in the first 4? weeks until the OL stabilizes.
I guess I'm fine with Brissett starting a few games at first just so we have an idea what the surrounding cast actually looks like in order to evaluate it separately from Maye. If Maye starts week 1, it'd be near impossible to gauge the quality of the OL and receivers separately from how much he's influencing the environment around him. If the OL sucks, I can accept using Brissett as a sacrificial lamb in order to properly ascertain that, and then throwing Maye out there with full knowledge of the protection issues, so we don't pin those on him if he eventually struggles. But I fully believe Maye is already the better player right now and shouldn't sit more than 4-5 games.
Want Maye because he is the future QB of this team, for better or for worse. Expecting the W1 starter to be Brissett, which I am fine with, as I'm not convinced Maye is quite ready yet.
I want Maye, but Brissett will start. The reason I want Maye is the organization has turned the page, so let's turn the page. However, that OL is like a turnstile. Brissett has had experience with NFL LB's. Hopefully, he'll avoid serious injury. If he Jacoby survives, Maye will learn from the sidelines. If not, we'll see Maye soon enough.
Of the last two full-time QBs (not counting Cam), one sat for a considerable length of time before starting. The other did not. Point: Sitting
Of the last two full-time QBs (not counting Cam), one sat for a considerable length of time before starting. The other did not. Point: Sitting
I'd certainly rather watch Maye play, but I really don't see an issue with the team losing a few games before he starts.
Hell, I dealt with all of last year. That said, I think it will be Maye. Like it or not, the team is going to do what gives them the best chance to win.
And right now, that is Maye from what we have seen and what Mayo has been hinting at.
Hell, I dealt with all of last year. That said, I think it will be Maye. Like it or not, the team is going to do what gives them the best chance to win.
And right now, that is Maye from what we have seen and what Mayo has been hinting at.
This was a very well designed poll! I voted Brissett/Brissett.
That being said, his performance in camp suggests that in general he is a fast learner.
I don't think he's ready yet but he looks more like someone who will be ready soon - because his progress from week to week is evident - than someone who would be best served by spending the entire season as a backup. "Ready by (say) Week 3" seems more likely than "not ready until Week 14."
This is based on Maye's own development and not on the Patriots OL and other considerations like that. The OL thing might cut both ways because, on the one hand, it will make things more difficult for Maye and will force him to rely more on improvisaion and out of structure playmaking rather than on the set offense. But on the other hand, he has a range of tools that, compared to brissett, will make life easier for his OL.
I'm not even confident Maye can regularly play from under center (yet) without turning the ball over or messing up the timing of the offense.
That being said, his performance in camp suggests that in general he is a fast learner.
I don't think he's ready yet but he looks more like someone who will be ready soon - because his progress from week to week is evident - than someone who would be best served by spending the entire season as a backup. "Ready by (say) Week 3" seems more likely than "not ready until Week 14."
This is based on Maye's own development and not on the Patriots OL and other considerations like that. The OL thing might cut both ways because, on the one hand, it will make things more difficult for Maye and will force him to rely more on improvisaion and out of structure playmaking rather than on the set offense. But on the other hand, he has a range of tools that, compared to brissett, will make life easier for his OL.
I voted “Want Maye but expect Brissett”.
I am good either way — Maye will be more exciting to watch, but I understand letting the O-line get settled in. Either way though, I expect Maye to be the starter by week 3, 4 at the latest.
I also don’t understand the “dump Brissett” talk in here. I don’t think this team expects to be tanking so I think they want a real NFL Backup QB.
I am good either way — Maye will be more exciting to watch, but I understand letting the O-line get settled in. Either way though, I expect Maye to be the starter by week 3, 4 at the latest.
I also don’t understand the “dump Brissett” talk in here. I don’t think this team expects to be tanking so I think they want a real NFL Backup QB.
Yeah, that day may never come. At some point, he's going to have to out there and play. They can't wait until the line is in perfect shape. We'll see what happens over the next few days but given that they've said they'll be looking at the waiver wire and it's a possibility that a starter isn't on the team at the moment that they could give the line 2-3 weeks to settle a bit. Of course injuries can and are happening so it may never really settle.
I'm not as worred about him getting killed as I am him forming bad habits as a result. Maye's mobility and athelticism make him better suited to play behind a bad line than Brissett. But you also don't want him to start bailing out of every pocket, even when it is clean.
This is easy. Sit Maye for this year.
I'm not sure what everyone else has been watching this preseason but New England may be on the cusp of having a historically bad offensive line.
If the line is THAT bad (“historically bad”), then there’s a very high likelihood that less than mobile Jacoby Brissett is going to get killed and then what? Can’t hide Maye all season. Or would you then turn to Milton to preserve Maye?
They definitely are nowhere near historically bad, they haven't even been the worst line I've seen this preseason (hi Steelers). What they might be is 2023-24 Washington Commanders or 2022-23 Giants bad, which would still be a concern.
This is where I am at. Letting them figure out the best OL combination before playing Maye is ideal to me.
There will be no good OL this year. If they have the 20th best OL for pass pro win rate by mid year, I'll consider that a huge win and improvement. I'd be surprised if they're better than 30th now.
But that's no reason to sit Maye all year. 4-5 weeks won't make the line good, but some number of weeks should at least provide a baseline view of where the OL is. The first few weeks will likely be abject chaos, especially since they're not down another lineman.
My gut reaction is that Milton sees little to no game time this season. It would be weird messaging to play Milton over the presumably healthy and ready to go #3 overall pick who is also a rookie. Maye matters, Milton doesn't, let Milton take the punishment is just bad management and yes, I realize they are doing the same thing with Brissett. But at least Brissett "earned" the position by virtue of his vet status. It's about as flimsy as possible, but also reality - just like the Oline.
Let's assume for a minute that the line is bad (I doubt it will be historically bad, but definitely the bottom half or the league) and Brissett starts but gets a season-ending injury at some point. If Brissett gets that season-ending injury a few games in, I think the Pats go to the QB scrap heap and pull someone (hello again, Zappe) to soak up the rest of the year. If Brissett makes it longer than that before a theoretical season-ending injury, say 10 games, they hand over the reins to Maye and let him get a few games of play behind the crummy line and see what he can do. The logic there is he gets real reps, and his chance of getting injured is smaller in 7 games than 17. Not saying I agree with it, but I can see that being the case over playing Milton.
ETA: I think they go to the scrapheap if they need a new QB a few games in because something something "viable NFL QB", but the real reason is preserving Maye and not throwing him to the wolves.
I haven't watched the Steelers this preseason so I wouldn't know, but I'd have to believe they at least have more than one lineman that can successfully snap a football. Or players who know how to stand at the line properly prior to. I mean that was 4/5 of New England's starting line out there Sunday night and they looked like the Keystone Cops against Washington's 2nd and 3rd stringers. I will grant that Dave Andrews not playing factored into their performance but I mean then you're just holding your breath that he holds up over 17 games.
No, it's bad. Like really fucking bad.
I have watched the Steelers and their problem is a far more concerning one than lining up.... they can't block anyone once the ball is snapped and their QBs are taking a ton of hits.
The Patriots line isn't good, but people got way too worked up about the illegal formations, it's a new rule enforcement that nobody called for years and the league chose that game in primetime to really hammer it home (notice zero calls of it late game), the backup C situation is a concern no doubt, and the overall lack of cohesion, but the worst thing is getting your QB hit a ton and the Patriots haven't been that bad on that front relatively speaking so far.
I am in the Want Maye, suspect it will be Brissett camp. I can see the arguments for Brissett to start, manage the offense as teams game plan for the Patriots, and generally, I suppose, as respect for his veteran leadership and well liked locker room presence. I also understand the concern of Maye playing behind a terrible O-line.
But, from my perspective the value of learning on the job, at game speed, and learning from mistakes (and from successes) helps in both the short term and long term.
But, from my perspective the value of learning on the job, at game speed, and learning from mistakes (and from successes) helps in both the short term and long term.
Seconded!
And again
For folks asking versions of "If you don't start Maye in week 1, well, when do you start him?" one answer is that we don't need to decide that right now
Another answer is: you start him when you have evidence that the OL, receivers, and offensive coaches/game-planning/play-calling are all coming together such that your starting QB can successfully do his job against starting NFL defenses without getting killed
Longer version of this thinking...
Let's play out some upside/downside scenarios for the OL/receivers/gameplanning...
- "Best case" - The offensive line isn't great but can keep rushers off the QB for a couple of seconds; the coaches do a good job of game-planning/play-calling; WRs can get enough separation
- "Worst case" - The QB is getting hammered a lot, drives stall out quickly and often, receivers create no space and only the best throws are completions
- In the best case scenario what's the downside of starting Brissett instead of Maye? We're likely going to lose these first few games anyway. Maybe we're 0-4 instead of 1-3 a quarter of the way into the season?
- In the worst case scenario what's the downside of starting Maye instead of Brissett? The dude spends a bunch of his rookie year in the hospital and/or in therapy trying to work through PTSD
Of course, the good news here is that nobody needs to make this decision for more than one game at a time. So it's perfectly reasonable to have the default plan be that Brissett starts the first game(s) of the year, while we see how well the coaching staff, OL, and receivers can pull together and put the QB in a position to be successful without getting killed.
Brissett/Maye I am confident this team isn't making the playoffs this year, but I have some hope for 2026.I like the idea of sitting Maye and letting him watch and learn. There will be plenty of opportunities for actual game experience over the next year or two. And honestly I'd MUCH rather start the year 1-6 with Brissett than 2-5 with Maye.
But everyone's impatient and I suspect they go with Maye.
But everyone's impatient and I suspect they go with Maye.
I went Maye/Maye. He's the best QB on the roster already and he'll be more exciting to watch. Plus, I'm not sure how patient the Kraft's will be with this coaching staff so it would make sense for Mayo to give Maye reps as early as possible so that he's fully prepared for when the roster rounds into shape.
I would kind of guess that ownership being impatient is a good reason to start Jacoby. This team is probably going to lose a lot of games to start the year. If you're losing them with Maye it can get toxic quick. If you go 0-4 with Jacoby then swap to Maye it's a boost, even if the results don't change.
I don't know. I do think there's value in having Maye get experience in real-game situations on day 1, even if he's going to take some lumps.
Oh my comment wasn't about the benefits of playing him, but about how coaches/GMs manage impatient owners.
This is how I lean. And even if I were leaning Maye...
it's not as much about Maye being mentally ready for me as it is how much of AVP's offense he needs to have down, compared to how much AVP is willing to alter his offense to fit Maye (by, for example, bringing in some pistol formations).
The O-line could be brutally bad to start the year, but there's lots of bad O-line play out there so maybe it won't be much worse than average? I have some faith that their O-line coach--perhaps undeserved-- is good and that he'll help them right the ship. If you're someone who's convinced it's terrible that might actually be more reason to start Maye since he's better throwing on the move, better athlete, and more elusive than JB.
Decision has been made but Mayo is not announcing it until he tells the team tomorrow.
View: https://twitter.com/PhilAPerry/status/1828843705840873643
View: https://twitter.com/PhilAPerry/status/1828843705840873643
More context from Mayo, if anyone wants to try to decipher it:
View: https://twitter.com/PhilAPerry/status/1828846507816333780
View: https://twitter.com/PhilAPerry/status/1828846507816333780
It sounds to me like he's going to start Brissett.
The comments only really make sense if he's planning to start a guy who might not give them the best chance to win week one, in the long term interests of the team. Maybe I have it all wrong and everybody believes that guy who doesn't give them the best chance is actually Maye. But given the very optimstic reports about Maye's progress and impression on his teammates over the last couple weeks, and also what they've each shown in pre-season, I would think that the general feeling within the building is that Maye gives them a better chance to win. So the short/long term disjuncture only makes sense if its Brissett to start the season.
The comments only really make sense if he's planning to start a guy who might not give them the best chance to win week one, in the long term interests of the team. Maybe I have it all wrong and everybody believes that guy who doesn't give them the best chance is actually Maye. But given the very optimstic reports about Maye's progress and impression on his teammates over the last couple weeks, and also what they've each shown in pre-season, I would think that the general feeling within the building is that Maye gives them a better chance to win. So the short/long term disjuncture only makes sense if its Brissett to start the season.
Mayo makes you understand why Bill wanted to say as little as possible. He's so obsessed with being "open and honest" that he talks himself into circles and none of his comments seem to have a purpose that helps the team, instead often becoming distractions.
Mayo has to understand being honest doesn't mean you have to give granular detail over the decision making process. "We've chosen a starter but that won't be communicated publicly until I have a chance to announce it to the players". Done. Why expand on it?
I mean... we don't know 100%, but as an example, his offseason cash to burn comments were enough of a distraction that his GM and owner had to address it, and he had to come out and walk it back in a press conference. As to QB... sure seems like on that front too he didn;t really think out his comments and then had to tweak them, given how lockerrooms work.. I doubt it was beneficial.