🔗 Share this article

You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-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 appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

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

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. 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 tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half 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 has avoided a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked 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 leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. 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 emerges. And for the rest of the league’s 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 potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find anyone.

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 whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 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 team – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He found his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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