Has Drake Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Tom Brady Hangover?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom 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 looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.
Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. 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 answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball 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 pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play 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 passing. And he performed under pressure.
Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. 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 scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.
For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying 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 billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, 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 evolving weekly once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.
His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games 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 take some comfort in witnessing the development 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 rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It alters the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build 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.
MVP of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early 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 first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.
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 his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He located his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.
Notable Statistic
Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.
It's clear who Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass
