Did Maye Ended the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to deliver a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.
The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. 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 allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.
Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.
For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores 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. Now, 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 strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.
His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.
Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. 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 emerges. And for the other NFL 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 possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find a solution.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.
Highlight of the Week
The Dolphins were on the wrong side of 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 touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the game-winning field goal.
It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.
It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass
