Has Maye Finished the Patriots' Painful Tom Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.
Five years. 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 MVP candidate.
Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario 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 throw a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores 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 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 age 23 or younger.
The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.
Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.
This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.
His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. 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 year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders again.
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 yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find anyone.
Securing a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.
Player of the Week
JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured 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 very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.
Highlight of the Week
The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.
Stat of the Week
Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.
It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass