Has Drake Maye Finished 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. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.
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 victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to throw a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing 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 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 QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots required all 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 big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.
Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.
For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.
Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.
His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.
Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find anyone.
Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a long TD 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 first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.
Video of the Week
The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. 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 brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the winning field goal.
It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.
Notable Statistic
Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.
It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass
