Has Maye Finished the Patriots' Painful Brady Hangover?

It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, 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.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a 53-yard pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 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 series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by 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 right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

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 failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches 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 take some comfort in seeing the development 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 QB emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 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 took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert 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 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 losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

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

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