Did Maye Ended the Patriots' Painful Tom Brady Hangover?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.
Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to throw a strike deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.
Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, 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 quickly.
For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.
After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.
His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.
Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find a solution.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.
MVP of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown 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 touchdown.
Video of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow 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 return on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning kick.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line 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 dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.
Stat of the Week
Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.
It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass
