Did Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Brady Hangover?

You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England 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 elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long pass 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 deliver a strike deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

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 age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. 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 couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. 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 few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. 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 this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, 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 relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season 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 become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing 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 emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. 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 look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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