Did Maye Finished the Patriots' Painful Brady Aftermath?

You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed 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 potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead 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 didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns 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 broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. 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 each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters 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 QB arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a long TD 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 team – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, 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 return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past 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 advance in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass