Did Drake Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a road win 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 surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 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 consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots required all 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 big gains. 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 continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed 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 protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off 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 more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.
This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.
His growth has sped up 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 season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders again.
Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and never locate anyone.
Finding a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.
MVP of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.
Highlight of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the winning field goal.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.
We know who Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
