Did Maye Ended the Patriots' Difficult Tom Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the 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 – appear to have found the guy.
Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.
Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to throw a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns 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, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer 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 needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.
Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.
This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, 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 billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.
His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. 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 season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.
Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and never locate anyone.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready 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 sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured 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.
Video of the Week
The Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.
It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.
We know what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass
