Has Maye Ended the Patriots' Difficult Brady Hangover?
You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.
Half a decade. 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 elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away 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 surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.
Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!
It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.
The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.
Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.
It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, 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 delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.
This year, Maye is up to 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 conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.
Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.
His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders again.
Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, 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 cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.
Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.
Player of the Week
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a long TD and maybe the nastiest 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 yet another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point 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 ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the game-winning field goal.
It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.
Notable Statistic
Negative 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 lowest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.
We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to read the {passing game|pass
