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

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw 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 favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating 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 first half was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground 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 several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options 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 this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It alters the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured 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 very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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