Has Maye Ended the Patriots' Difficult Brady Hangover?
You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, 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 favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina 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 debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
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 flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.
Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.
For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.
His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.
Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the development 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 teams lacking QBs, 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 25 years looking – and never locate a solution.
Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best 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 TD.
Highlight 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 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.
WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.
It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.
Notable Statistic
Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.
It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass