Welcome to the Friday Five!

Each week during the NFL regular season, I will drop five Patriots-related thoughts on Friday to recap the week that was in Foxboro and look ahead to kickoff.

Ready, set, football.

1. Maye vs. Herbert

Here’s a talk-radio topic to spice up your holiday break: pick one quarterback to lead your NFL team for the next 10 years.

Drake Maye or Justin Hebert.

Herbert, as a fifth-year pro who annually ranks among the game’s best, is the safe choice. And frankly, neither are poor. But give me Maye.

Maye-be I’m smitten. But feelings aside, here are the facts: Maye is 22 years old. Hebert is 26. Maye ranks 14th by ESPN’s all-encompassing QBR metric (a modernized version of passer rating that accounts for fumbles, scrambles and game situation), while Herbert ranks 15th. Maye has been more accurate this season by advanced metrics like CPOE, as well as completion percentage (70.6% to 67.5%). Maye also boasts a higher touchdown percentage as a passer.

Ten starts into his career, the rookie is already performing like a league-average quarterback statistically, despite teaming with the NFL’s worst pass-protecting offensive line and a receiving corps with no big names and even less game. Maye is the engine and driver in New England; the alpha and omega; the everything.

Last week his position coach called Maye arguably the smartest person in the building. Maye’s rapid processing surprised the Patriots, and his ascent from early training camp disappointment to full-fledged NFL starter has been stunning.

If Herbert made one Pro Bowl through his first four seasons – a crude measurement of quarterback performance, to be sure – don’t you think Maye can meet or top that? After all, Mac Jones did it (yes, he was an alternate).

So over the next 10 years, I’m betting on Maye; the pedigree, natural gifts, processing, accuracy, playmaking, all of it. Give me that guy through 2033 and beyond.

2. QB gifts for OL

In keeping with a league-wide quarterback tradition, Maye delivered holiday presents to his offensive linemen this week.

On Christmas Eve, Maye and backup Jacoby Brissett delivered new Gucci travel bags and fresh pairs of Jordan sneakers to each O-linemen before they left the team facility. The sneakers were white and sky blue AKA Carolina Blue, the school colors the University of North Carolina; Maye’s alma mater and that of the shoes’ namesake, NBA legend Michael Jordan.

New England Patriots guard Cole Strange was happy to receive holiday gifts from quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett. (AP Photo/Phil Pavely)

“Everybody loved it,” said Pats center/guard Cole Strange. “Hell, yeah.”

Hours before bestowing the gifts, Maye explained to reporters why he wanted to make that gesture.

“You have to give those guys some love,” Maye said. “All the hard work they put in throughout the season. I got something for them coming up soon, and I’m looking forward to showing my appreciation for them, me and Jacoby both.”

Strange explained while he never would have bought those items for himself, he loved them nonetheless.

“It’s kind of a new world for me. I don’t know where I’d wear those (shoes), maybe to dinner. But they’re sick,” he said. “It’s funny, because I feel like a little part of me got corrupted, you know? Because I’ve always been like, ‘What the hell is the point of designer stuff? It’s such a waste.’

“But then I see this bag, and I’m like, ‘OK, that’s pretty cool.’ So cool.”

3. Alex Van Pelt, saving something

Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt on the field during a New England Patriots practice earlier this season in Foxboro. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

At the start of Organized Team Activities (OTAs) last spring, Alex Van Pelt distributed a playbook that would guide and shape the Patriots’ new offense.

With two games left, there’s little the Pats’ offensive coordinator says the team hasn’t shown yet. Van Pelt estimated Thursday that 85-90% of the team’s playbook is now on film. He indicated the remaining pages are because the Patriots haven’t faced certain defenses yet this season that those plays are designed for and/or some concepts are more advanced, meaning they’re better suited for players with more experience in his system.

“There’s some stuff that we haven’t gotten to; concepts and schematic things versus different coverages that we haven’t really scratched the surface yet,” he said. “But that will come in Year 2.”

The Patriots hired Van Pelt just over 11 months ago. There has been speculation as to whether he will be retained for the 2025 season.

4. Herbert vs. history

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by New England Patriots defensive tackle Adam Butler during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

If there are two reasons to believe in the Patriots defense this Saturday, here they are.

No. 1: the Chargers’ receiving corps should invite the Pats to play a ton of man-to-man coverage. The Patriots are never better than when Christian Gonzalez and Co. are playing man. See: wins over the Bears, Jets and Bengals, plus last Sunday’s close call in Buffalo, when the Bills scored 17 offensive points.

Rookie Ladd McConkey is the only consistent threat outside, owning 417 more yards than Los Angeles’ second-leading receiver. Even with McConkey, the Chargers average the 10th-fewest yards per attempt against man-to-man, and boast the seventh-lowest completion percentage, per Sports. Info. Solutions.

No. 2: history. In three games against the Patriots, Hebert has produced the lowest completion percentage (52.8%), passer rating (59.5) and yards per attempt average (5.15) of his career against any single opponent. Last year’s 6-0 Chargers win in Foxboro marked his only win over the Pats, who have thrown a mix of coverage and pressure at him over the years.

Though defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington, who’s presided over the worst Patriots defense since at least 2017, isn’t counting on the past to bail his unit out Saturday.

“I do know, yes, we’ve had great success with him in the past. I think you’ve still got to stay in the present,” Covington said. “And really, for him, he’s (got) great command of the offense, his understanding of defense is great. You know, he can run when he needs to, can run the ball, he can throw the ball anywhere on the field. And so for us, it’s about stopping those things to control him.”

5. No. 34 pick, revisited

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Eight months ago, the Patriots traded back from the No. 34 pick in the NFL Draft to No. 37 in a deal with the Chargers.

Los Angeles drafted McConkey, their current leading receiver who’s 40 yards away from a 1,000-yard season. The Pats later selected Ja’Lynn Polk at No. 37 and added another receiver, Javon Baker, with the fourth-round pick they added in that same trade. Unfortunately for them, McConkey matched Polk and Baker’s receiving yards on the season with an 87-yard game last week versus Denver. He’s also topped 100 yards in three straight games.

Pats coach Jerod Mayo confirmed the team took a good look at McConkey in the pre-draft process.

“We did some work on him,” Mayo said. “A guy that can get open versus man-to-man coverage. Look, he’s playing well right now. He also does a good job finding space in the zone coverages. He’s definitely a player you got to keep your eye on.”