Has Drake Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Aftermath?
It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.
His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain 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 respond, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.
Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!
It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to deliver a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.
The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat 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 delivered under fire.
Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.
It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.
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 debut season, when he was always attempting 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 billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.
His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. 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 once more.
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 what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.
Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.
MVP of the Week
JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.
JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.
Video of the Week
The 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 returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.
INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.
Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning kick.
It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.
Stat of the Week
Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.
We know who Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass
