Did Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Tom Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.
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 elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.
Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad 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 settling for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum 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 stout front. 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 was hit a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.
For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, 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. 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 big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.
His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.
Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. 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 rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from 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
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. 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.
Video of the Week
The Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.
We know who Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
