Did Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.
Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to deliver a strike deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino 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 deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.
Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, 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 confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.
For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, 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.
After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.
His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders once more.
Bears fans will find solace in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.
Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included 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 very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.
Highlight of the Week
The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, late defeat. 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 season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, 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 tossing the other to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, 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
Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.
It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass
