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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit 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 stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 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 routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit 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 passing. And he delivered under fire.

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

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 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 touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks 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 losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

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

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