Has Maye Finished the New England's Difficult Brady Aftermath?

You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the New England 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 top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. 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 no turnovers. And it might have been better 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 the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate 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 playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the development 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 other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain 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 JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. 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 team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the New York 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. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass