Did Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.
Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.
Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.
Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each 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, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.
This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.
His development 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 spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.
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 cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find anyone.
Finding a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, 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 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 Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.
Highlight of the Week
The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the winning field goal.
It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.
Stat of the Week
Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.
We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass
