Did Maye Finished the New England's Painful Tom Brady Aftermath?

You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star 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 trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. 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 passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed 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 rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores 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 picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. 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 improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing 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 quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom 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, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new team – 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 Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

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