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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-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 looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

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

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up 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.

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

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, late defeat. 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 returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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