FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- When Drake Maye was in the seventh grade, he attended Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, California, to see his beloved Carolina Panthers against the Denver Broncos.
A decade later, the 23-year-old now makes a Super Bowl return to the same site, this time as the New England Patriots' starting quarterback who will be facing the Seattle Seahawks.
"It's full circle," Maye said in the aftermath of Sunday's 10-7 victory over the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. "My dad [Mark] said if the Panthers made it, we were going to go. It was heartbreaking [when] they lost."
Maye hopes for a better result for his team this time around, but knows some things will likely have to change on his part for that to happen.
After leading the NFL in QBR in the regular season (77.1) by a wide margin, Maye's 51.1 QBR in the playoffs is the fourth lowest of any quarterback entering the Super Bowl since 2006, as the Patriots have run into a gauntlet of defensive force -- with the Chargers, Texans and Broncos all among the NFL's top 10 scoring defenses. The challenge only elevates in the Super Bowl as the Seahawks finished the regular season first in fewest points allowed (16.4 avg. per game).
The Patriots would make history if they upset the Seahawks, as no team has beaten four top-10 scoring defenses in a single postseason in NFL history, according to ESPN Research.
Part of Maye's dip in performance on Sunday is tied to playing half of the game against Denver with a run-first approach due to snowy, windy conditions -- with his knack for making plays with his legs proving vital. But even before the weather turned, the offense wasn't clicking on all cylinders Sunday in a frenzied environment, which Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel acknowledged.
They've also mightily struggled on third down, converting on only 30.2% of 43 attempts this postseason; and in the red zone, scoring a touchdown on 33.3% of trips.
"We'll have to get a lot of things corrected, and we'll have to play our best football game in two weeks if we want to finish as champions," Vrabel said.
Overall, the Patriots are averaging 18 points per game in the playoffs, the fourth fewest by a team entering the Super Bowl -- and the fewest since 1979.
Maye's physical condition could also be a factor. As part of his regular routine, Maye planned for time with physical therapist/athletic trainer Zach Gerber, whom he's credited for helping him sustain through the physical grind of the season. Maye was sacked five times on Sunday and took other hits. One noteworthy hit came at the end of a 13-yard run late in the third quarter. On the play, Maye slid somewhat awkwardly and was tackled by safety Talanoa Hufanga with Maye landing on his throwing shoulder.
Asked by ESPN about how he would describe how he felt physically after the game, Maye acknowledged "some bumps and bruises" before adding, "but hey, that's what it takes."
"I think a lot of those guys in that locker room are battling through things. At the same time, the best thing about it is we have another chance at it. Another chance at it to get healthy. Two weeks -- a chance to go win the Super Bowl. That's what it is, and that's pretty cool," he said.