Did Drake Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Tom Brady Hangover?

You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

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 looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several 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 going over 20 yards in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. 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 read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Bears fans 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 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 sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Highlight 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 Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the first before tossing the other to the deck. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. 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 in his 49th start.

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