It’s important to really feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. These franchises have spent a long time in quarterback purgatory, rotating by means of prospects and placeholders. In the meantime, after simply 5 years of looking out, the Patriots the post-Tom Brady Patriots seem to have discovered the man.
5 years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Mayes first uneven season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who seems like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.
Final week was his breakout: a highway win in Buffalo, the place Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP within the fourth quarter. However Sunday in New Orleans could have been much more spectacular. Recent off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a awful Saints staff had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset early. They ripped off a giant play on the opening snap of the sport, earlier than stalling out within the redzone and settling for a discipline purpose. It took Maye all of 4 performs to reply, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead landing.
It was Maye at his greatest, climbing by means of the pocket to ship a strike downfield. From there, he didnt let up: Maye torched the Saints in each space of the sector. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to tweet. He completed 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it may have been extra if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.
It was his fifth straight recreation with a minimum of 200 yards and a passer score north of 100. Solely Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever finished that at age 23 or youthful.
The perfect quarterbacks flip troublesome highway video games into ho-hum wins. They dont put the ball in harms means, maintain the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on essential downs. The Patriots wanted each little bit of Mayes close to perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldnt run the ball in opposition to a stout entrance. Their protection gave up a number of chunk performs. This was a recreation that needed to be received by Mayes proper arm. And he delivered below hearth.
Maye was hit a number of instances and sacked as soon as, however the stress he confronted was fixed. It didnt matter. Maye threw all three landing passes below stress, with all three touring 20 yards or extra within the air.
Its not simply the numbers although. Its how Maye carries himself. Hes assured and composed within the pocket, bouncing by means of reads to seek out open targets. When wanted, he can take off and create along with his legs. As a rookie, he was just a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket on the first signal of hassle. However this season, hes been extra like Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball the place it must go in a rush.
For the season, Maye is as much as 10 passing touchdowns, two speeding touchdowns and simply two interceptions. Hes halved his Turnover Worthy Play fee from his rookie 12 months, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of damaged performs. Now, hes selecting his moments. He hasnt dedicated a TWP in three video games, per PFF.
Popping out of school, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his capability to course of refined coverages and function a fancy offense. Too free. Too reckless. However Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the complete breadth of his scheme. Maye isnt being restricted; hes being trusted. 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 have been to be second-year progress, you imagined it will be a gradual burn. There would nonetheless be the spotlight throws, whereas Maye spent the season attempting to chop his brain-farts-per-game in half. That might be progress. As an alternative, Maye has smashed expectations. Six video games into his second season, hes changed into one of many leagues greatest and hes made the Patriots division contenders once more.
Bears followers will take some consolation in seeing the event of Caleb Williams. But when youre a Browns or Jets fan, you must wince. As a result of that is what its alleged to appear like when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the remainder of the leagues quarterback-starved franchises, its one more reminder of how merciless and cyclical this sport will be. The Patriots went from the best of all time to a doable nice in half a decade. Some groups spend 1 / 4 of a century trying and nonetheless dont discover anybody.
Discovering a franchise quarterback is about greater than profitable video games. It alters the character of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. However the previous couple of seasons have been about failing to construct a bridge from Brady to no matter would come subsequent. Theyve discovered the reply now. Put together in your Masshole associates to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. In opposition to a stifling Jaguars protection, Seattles solely means ahead was for Sam Darnold to search for Smith-Njigba, wherever and in all places. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a landing on 13 targets, because the Seahawks snuck previous the Jags 20-12. Seattles protection led the best way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven instances. Nevertheless it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks offense, making up all 117 of the Seahawks preliminary 117 yards by means of the air. That included a 61-yard landing and possibly the nastiest route nicely see from a receiver all 12 months.
The Dolphins have been on the fallacious aspect of one more disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa discovered Darren Waller for his fourth landing of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over:
Hoo boy. That’s imply. Someway, Herbert was in a position to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping previous the primary earlier than tossing the opposite to the deck. He discovered McConkey within the flat, who put a Dolphins nook on skates to maneuver the ball in vary for the game-winning discipline purpose.
It sums up the Chargers season: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Dolphins protection, too: a pass-rush that struggles to complete and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Depressing second-half collapses have develop into commonplace for Mike McDaniels staff. With one other tough loss, hes operating out of time to save lots of his job.
Minus-10. Thats the web passing yards Justin Fields completed with within the Jets 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. Its the fewest in any recreation for the reason that Chargers had minus-19 in 1998, based on the Related Press. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third skilled begin. Fields was making his forty ninth.
We all know who Fields is now: an distinctive runner who struggles to decipher the passing recreation. Hes late to learn defenses, late to let the ball go and struggles with the rhythmic calls for of the league. And in opposition to a fearsome Broncos defensive entrance, Fields flaws have been brutally uncovered. He was sacked as many instances (9) as he accomplished a go.
Regardless of falling to 0-6 and his quarterbacks persevering with struggles, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn mentioned post-game he’s not contemplating benching Fields. Theres 11 video games left, Fields mentioned. Primarily based on Sundays efficiency, that sounds extra like a risk than phrases of encouragement.
— The Chiefs loss to the Jaguars in Week 5 seems extra like a blip than a disaster after Kansas Metropolis dominated the Detroit Lions in a 30-17 win on Sunday night time. Sure, the Lions have a depleted secondary however Mahomes who had three passing TDs and one other speeding was wonderful as he discovered Travis Kelce repeatedly. And do not forget that Mahomes has one other goal, Rashee Rice, getting back from suspension subsequent week. The Lions shouldnt be too disheartened, a lot of their injured gamers will return in a month or so, simply in time for a late season cost. The sport additionally featured an entertainingly petty scuffle between the groups after Brian Department apparently refused to high-five Mahomes on the finish of the competition.
— They wasnt bucked up, Panthers operating again Rico Dowdle mentioned after gaining 239 yards from scrimmage and scoring a landing in opposition to the Cowboys. On the checklist of Dallas offseason sins, not extending Dowdle after he rushed for 1,000 yards final season is rising. The Panthers scooped him up on a discount deal, and he ran everywhere in the Cowboys hapless protection in Sundays 30-27 win. Word from NFL Analysis: Dowdles 239 scrimmage yards are probably the most by a participant in a recreation in opposition to his former staff in league historical past.
— Who had Baker Mayfield as an MVP frontrunner six weeks into the season? The Bucs quarterback saved up his early-season heater in a 30-19 win over the Niners, who misplaced star linebacker Fred Warner for the season to a horrible ankle harm. It was a recreation by which Mayfield, already down two beginning receivers, misplaced rookie phenom Emeka Egbuka to a hamstring harm. The Bucs have been additionally compelled to play their sixth-string guard. Neither setback bothered Mayfield, who accomplished 17-of-23 go makes an attempt for 256 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. And he added one other play to his MVP reel. On a vital third-and-14, Baker went full Beast Mode, slipping away from a sack, scrambling, stiff-arming a defender, then diving by means of two tacklers to select up a primary down. Two performs later, he delivered a 45-yard dart to rookie Tez Johnson for a landing.
— It was one other disastrous efficiency for the Cowboys protection, however their offense continues to be wonderful regardless of lacking all 5 of their starters on the offensive line. Dak Prescott accomplished 25 of 34 go makes an attempt for 261 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers or sacks in opposition to the Panthers. George Pickens was his go-to goal, and he fried Carolinas undermanned secondary for 168 yards and a landing on 9 grabs. The Prescott-to-Pickens connection has been the whole lot Dallas hoped for after buying the previous Steelers receiver within the offseason. Consideration will shortly flip to Pickenss upcoming contract extension. Will Jerry Jones fork over $100m-plus for an additional receiver after inking CeeDee Lamb to a long-term extension and buying and selling away Micah Parsons, partially, to save cash?
— It was a survive and advance week for the Colts, who wanted a late redzone cease to knock off a feisty Cardinals staff 31-27. Indys offense continued to roll, placing up 30 factors for the fourth time this season. However Indys protection struggled to comprise a Cardinals offense led by backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who could have compelled some in Arizona to take a sideways look at Kyler Murray.
— What’s going on in Indianapolis throughout warmups? Backup quarterback and potential commerce candidate Anthony Richardson sustained an orbital fracture within the locker room previous to the Colts recreation in opposition to the Cardinals. In line with ESPN, Richardson was hit within the eye by an train band when a tool malfunctioned. Richardson was not the one one who suffered earlier than the sport: Charvarius Ward was dominated out with a concussion after he unintentionally collided with tight finish Alec Ogletree.
— The hampered Ravens dropped to 1-5 after dropping 17-3 at house to the Rams, making it the worst begin to a season in Jon Harbaughs 18-year tenure with the franchise. Baltimore will hit the bye on the lowest ebb of the Harbaugh period. If they will get the majority of their starters again from harm after the break, they may nonetheless make a playoff run. However the odds of turning the season round are dwindling. For the reason that present playoff format began in 2020, just one staff Washington in 2020 has began 1-5 and made the playoffs.