Has Maye Ended the Patriots' Difficult Tom Brady Hangover?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.
Half a decade. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. 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 settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.
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 didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done 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 make the decisive throws on important plays. 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 game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. 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 all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.
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 needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.
This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting the attack 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 cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders once more.
Bears fans will find solace in seeing the development 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 emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.
Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years 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 Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven times. 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 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.
Video of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade 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 field goal.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.
It's clear who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
