Has Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Hangover?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, 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 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 the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum 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 performed under pressure.
Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.
It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.
This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.
His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders again.
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 cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find a solution.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included 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 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 Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning field goal.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.
Stat of the Week
Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.
It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass
