Has Maye Finished the Patriots' Painful Brady Hangover?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.
Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play 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, uncorking a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.
The top QBs 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 couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.
Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the air.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.
For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.
After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.
His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.
Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. 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 moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived 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 discovered the solution today. Get ready for your New England pals to regain 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 look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for 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.
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 Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. 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.
Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning kick.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.
Stat of the Week
Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.
We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass