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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered 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 looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad 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 stalling out in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to throw a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches 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 stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure 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 beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. 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.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders 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 arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, 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 five years. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage 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 San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

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