Has Maye Finished the New England's Painful Tom Brady Aftermath?

It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

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 elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws 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 leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!

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 every area of the field. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. 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 near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

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 rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. 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 quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started 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