Has Drake Maye Finished the New England's Painful Tom Brady Hangover?

It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

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.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. 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 settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 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 over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done 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 important plays. 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 gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off 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 structure of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, 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. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth 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 spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing 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 emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning 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 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

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