Has Maye Finished the New England's Difficult Tom Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and 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 after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.
Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.
Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a 53-yard pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino 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, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection 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 game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.
Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.
For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns 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 failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.
His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.
Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, 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 quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.
Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown 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 TD.
Highlight of the Week
The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.
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 deck. He located his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.
Stat of the Week
Minus-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 Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.
We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass