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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a strike deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. 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 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 several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing 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 emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-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 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 touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging 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 game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence 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 loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

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