Did Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the 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 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 matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning 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 trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer 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, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.
Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot 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 debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.
His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.
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 quarterback arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and never locate anyone.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new team – a 61-yard TD.
Video of the Week
The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning field goal.
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 loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. 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 New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.
It's clear who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
