🔗 Share this article

It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-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 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. 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 threatened early. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a strike deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

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

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws 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 allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns 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 picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress 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 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 half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. 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 touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best 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 team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common 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 net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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