Did Drake Maye Ended the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.
Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young 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 went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at 23 years old or less.
The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection 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 right arm. And he delivered under fire.
Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.
It’s not just the numbers. 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 somewhat erratic, 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 delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.
This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.
After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.
His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, 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 playoff hopefuls again.
Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the progress 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 emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.
Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new team – a 61-yard TD.
Video of the Week
The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning field goal.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.
Notable Statistic
Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.
We know who Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass
