Did Maye Ended the Patriots' Painful Tom Brady Aftermath?

You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade 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 young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. 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 potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone 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 score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to deliver a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB 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 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 crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like 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 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 always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is piloting 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 slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It changes the personality of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell 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 save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to read the {passing game|pass