Has Maye Ended the New England's Difficult Tom Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.
Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a road win 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 more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to throw a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.
Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the air.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.
For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.
His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders again.
Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport 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 never locate anyone.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.
Video of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.
It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.
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 London. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.
We know what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass