Did Maye Ended the Patriots' Painful Brady Hangover?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.
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 looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. 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 threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone 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 touchdown.
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 deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.
Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three 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 protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.
This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.
His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders once more.
Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and never locate a solution.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.
MVP of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.
Video of the Week
The Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He located McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning kick.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence 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 weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.
It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to read the {passing game|pass