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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team 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 opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

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 squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, 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 pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

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 constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

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 exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. 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 QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and never locate a solution.

Securing 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 recent years have been about not constructing 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

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, 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 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included 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 first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He located McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection 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 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 net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

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