Did Maye Ended the New England's Difficult Brady Aftermath?

It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered 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 appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the current 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 risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 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 debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, 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 routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat 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 took hits a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, 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, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, 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 shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. 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 harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 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 pass-catcher all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to read the {passing game|pass