Did Drake Maye Finished the Patriots' Painful Brady Hangover?

It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

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 top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the leading 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 torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on crucial downs. 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 performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. 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 system and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

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 rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined 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 sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the development of Caleb Williams. 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 QB arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It changes the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 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 pass-catcher all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB 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 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' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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