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

You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. 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 young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, 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 even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long deep ball 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 protection to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs turn difficult road games 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 squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

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

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. 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 quarterback arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included 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 squad – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. 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 defenders, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, 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 standard for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

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

We know what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass