Did Drake Maye Ended the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.
Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.
Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad 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 redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to deliver a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series 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, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done 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 deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.
Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the air.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.
For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.
His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.
Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario 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 greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.
Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured 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 team – a 61-yard touchdown.
Highlight of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.
It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush 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 the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.
Stat of the Week
Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.
It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass