The Seattle Seahawks have been the best team in football this season, and it's not like it's been particularly close. Mike Macdonald's team scored the third-most points per game (28.4) and gave up the fewest (17.2).
They also had a much tougher path to the Super Bowl. There were three 12-win teams in the NFC alone, and they had to get past both of them in the playoffs. That's not the case with the New England Patriots, who had the easiest regular-season schedule before finally taking things up a notch with three top-five defenses in the postseason.
Nevertheless, as good as Aden Durde's defense was this year, they didn't get to play someone like Drake Maye. That's why former Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck believes they could be in trouble in the final game of the season. Talking to Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob show, he expressed concerns about Maye's scrambling abilities.
Matt Hasselbeck warns Seahawks about Drake Maye's mobility
“I think the matchup part that would scare me is that his ceiling is so high, Drake Maye,” Hasselbeck said. “But what he is really good at is something that I think the Seahawks could struggle with, and that’s when he gets out, gets loose out of the pocket, scrambles. I just think back to the Carolina game. That was as good of a defensive performance as I’ve seen anybody have (by) Seattle’s defense, yet (Carolina QB) Bryce Young got out.”
Of course, the Seahawks are more than used to going against Kyler Murray, who's probably more efficient when he takes off and makes plays with his legs than with his arm. Other than that, they didn't get to face many mobile quarterbacks this season.
Jayden Daniels is also a dual-threat guy, but he was banged up when the Seahawks faced the Washington Commanders. Cam Ward can also make a case as a mobile quarterback, but he played with one of the worst supporting casts in the league.
Maye is much more mobile than people give him credit for. While not as big as Josh Allen, he might be as fast and agile, and he's proven to be a threat in the open field. That should keep the Seahawks' defense honest, even when the pocket collapsed.
That said, it's not like Maye has been lights out in the playoffs. The Los Angeles Chargers kept him on his toes, and the bulk of his production against the Houston Texans came with the game out of reach. Then, he didn't even crack 100 passing yards against the Denver Broncos' bruising defense -- although the weather may have also been a factor.
Maye is a talented young player with a bright future in this league, and the Seahawks certainly can't afford to look past him. Even so, they've shut down more experienced and accomplished signal callers this season, and they will probably have something in store for him.