Has Maye Ended the Patriots' Painful Tom Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.
Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.
Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the leading score.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.
The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. 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 narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.
Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the air.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads 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 initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.
This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.
His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders once more.
Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find anyone.
Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.
Highlight of the Week
The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning kick.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.
Stat of the Week
Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.
We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
