Did Drake Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.
Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.
His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a strike deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters 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 trio of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.
The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.
Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.
For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, 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.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.
His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, 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 witnessing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT 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 changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown 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 very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.
Video of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning field goal.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. 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 one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.
We know who Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to read the {passing game|pass
