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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom 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 young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team 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 stalling out in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard 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 deliver a perfect pass deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, 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 stout front. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. 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 more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, 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.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders again.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. 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 moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher 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 Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, 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 faked out a defender to advance in range for the game-winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

We know what Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass