Has Maye Ended the New England's Difficult Tom Brady Hangover?
You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom 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 elite player 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 Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh 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 executed a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.
Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three going over 20 yards in the air.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, 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, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.
For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, 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 evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.
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 spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.
Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. 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 rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.
Finding a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.
Player of the Week
JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.
Video of the Week
The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.
It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, 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
Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.
We know what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
