🔗 Share this article

It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

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 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 matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad 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 field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 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 QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, 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 don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. 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 tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, 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 this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores 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 failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest 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 touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. 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. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped 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 keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage 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 1998. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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