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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

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

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to throw a strike downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several 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 not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, 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 conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 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 wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. 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 team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, 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 touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush 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 standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the 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 had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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