Did Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.
Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young 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 outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. 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 answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop 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 protection to throw a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. 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 passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.
The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. 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 chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.
Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.
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 picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. 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 trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.
His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.
Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It changes the identity 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 Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.
Player of the Week
JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.
Video of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before tossing the other to the deck. He found his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.
Notable Statistic
Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards 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 San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.
It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
