Has Maye Ended the Patriots' Difficult Tom Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.
Five years. 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 MVP candidate.
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 fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win 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 large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs 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 flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.
Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.
This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.
After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour 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 offense like an experienced veteran.
His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his mental errors 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 transformed the Patriots division contenders again.
Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. 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 sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate anyone.
Securing a franchise QB is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, constantly. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 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 receiver all year.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.
Highlight of the Week
The Miami 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 Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. 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 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 Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.
We know who Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to read the {passing game|pass
