Has Drake Maye Ended the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom 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 young quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the current 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 lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to deliver 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 searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 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 over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. 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 gave up 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 tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.
It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme 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 rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.
His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.
Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario 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 greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.
MVP of the Week
JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.
Highlight of the Week
The Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the game-winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.
Stat of the Week
Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.
It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
