Has Drake Maye Ended the Patriots' Painful Tom Brady Hangover?

You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to throw a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 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 consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, 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, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the progress 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 QB arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. 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 losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to read the {passing game|pass