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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, 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 appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs 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 narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. 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 took hits a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced 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 find open targets. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic 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. Evaluators questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up 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 cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

We know what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to read the {passing game|pass