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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Half a decade. 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 Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a 53-yard pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to deliver a strike deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

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

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 needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. 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 pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each 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 find open targets. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, 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 failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. 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 another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport 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 anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included 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 very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell 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.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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