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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 young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. 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 MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star 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 favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to throw a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint 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 evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow 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 following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

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

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his protection flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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