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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 only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a long pass to DeMario 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 throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, 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 compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up 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 pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – 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 cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet 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 score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the game-winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert 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 standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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