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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, rotating through young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 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 routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. 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 hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting the attack 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 gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent 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 second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing 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 yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before tossing the other to the deck. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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