Did Maye Finished the Patriots' Difficult Tom Brady Hangover?

It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws 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 upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

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

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, 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 stout front. 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 took hits a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, 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 games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed 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 eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the development of Caleb Williams. 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 harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. 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 JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking 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 via passing. That featured a long TD 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 Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the first before tossing the other to the deck. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish 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 rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to read the {passing game|pass