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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered 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 appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to throw a strike deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half 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 series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs 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 required all of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed 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 little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. 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 used the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing 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 QB emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport 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 more than winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 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 pass-catcher all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish 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 running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

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

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