Has Drake Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the 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.
Last week was his breakout: a road win 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 more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer 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 best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. 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 struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.
Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more 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 improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.
This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.
After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.
His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders once more.
Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development 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 quarterback emerges. 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. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.
MVP of the Week
JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. 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 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 under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey 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 excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.
We know what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass
