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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure 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 where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays 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 big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons 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 tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play 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 Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

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

It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass