🔗 Share this article

You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom 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 young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB 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 deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, 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 into division contenders again.

Bears fans will take some comfort 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 QB arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown 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 squad – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

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

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located 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’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass