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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

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

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. 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 first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. 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 other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 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 very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff 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 escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. 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.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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