Did Maye Finished the New England's Painful Brady Aftermath?

You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to throw a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 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 consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

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

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting 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 exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the progress of their rookie QB. 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 emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. 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 first play with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the game-winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

It's clear who Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass