Did Drake Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Hangover?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, 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 surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling 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 at his best, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes 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 stout front. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.
Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.
It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.
For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores 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 failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.
His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.
Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the progress 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 emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find a solution.
Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 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 very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.
Highlight of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the winning field goal.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.
We know what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
