🔗 Share this article

You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Five years. 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.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit 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 red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching 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 deliver a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 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 over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat 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 was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, 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 attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. 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 squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB 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.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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