Has Drake Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.
Half a decade. 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 MVP candidate.
Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to deliver a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth consecutive outing 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 top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.
Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the air.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure 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 rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.
After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.
His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders once more.
Bears fans will take some comfort 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 what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.
Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-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 included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.
Highlight of the Week
The Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles 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 ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Somehow, 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 put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.
Stat of the Week
Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.
We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass
