🔗 Share this article

You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. 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 risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead 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. From there, 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 compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. 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 struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes 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 bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the first before tossing the other to the deck. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

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