Has Maye Ended the New England's Painful Brady Hangover?

You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen 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 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 stalling out in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. From there, 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 ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 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 at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. 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 passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off 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 now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. 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 big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the offense 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 spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort 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 other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fan base 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 the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown 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 season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured 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 very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks 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 running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

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

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