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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away 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 upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.

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 Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

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