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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter 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 current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. 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 just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground 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 was hit a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more 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 create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. 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 experienced veteran.

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

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

It's clear who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass