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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

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

The top QBs 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 crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won 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 all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing 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

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a long TD and maybe the nastiest 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 TD.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest 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 game. Fields was making his 49th.

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