Did Maye Finished the Patriots' Painful Tom Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, 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 young quarterback who looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.
His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to deliver a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer 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 deliver key passes 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 allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.
Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.
For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. 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 capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.
His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.
Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find a solution.
Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest 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 squad – a 61-yard touchdown.
Highlight of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning field goal.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.
Stat of the Week
Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.
We know who Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to read the {passing game|pass
