🔗 Share this article

It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming 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 ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a long deep ball to Pop 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 perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

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

The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. 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 game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth 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 growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – 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 wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest 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 touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

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

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure 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 Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended 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 minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass