Did Drake Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Tom Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.
Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain 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 respond, launching a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.
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 downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.
The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat 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 took hits a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.
It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.
For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage 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 TWP in three outings.
After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.
His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.
Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.
Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Tom 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 tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up 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 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 wrong side of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning field goal.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.
Stat of the Week
Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.
We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass