Has Maye Ended the New England's Painful Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.
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 appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.
Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team 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 stalling out in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.
The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense allowed 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 defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three going over 20 yards in the air.
It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.
This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, 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 leading the offense like an eight-year vet.
His development 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 used the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, 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 progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.
Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.
Player 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, constantly. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up 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 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.
Video of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.
Stat of the Week
Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.
It's clear who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to read the {passing game|pass
