Has Maye Ended the Patriots' Painful Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the 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 elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.
Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.
This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.
After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.
His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.
Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and never locate a solution.
Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, 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 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a long TD and maybe the nastiest 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 yet another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the winning field goal.
It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. 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 defeat, 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' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.
We know what Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass
