Did Maye Ended the Patriots' Painful Tom Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.
Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.
Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to throw a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.
The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.
Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.
For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.
His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.
Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.
Finding a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.
Highlight of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He found his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.
Stat of the Week
Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.
It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass
