Did Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.
Half a decade. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh 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 large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.
Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.
This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.
His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders once more.
Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.
Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included 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 Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.
We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass
