🔗 Share this article

It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

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 top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard 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 strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability 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 full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress 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 quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown 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 very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles 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 kickoff on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures 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’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

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