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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Half a decade. 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 road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

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

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. 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 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 passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. 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 harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest 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 touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks 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 losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

We know who Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass