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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-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 appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to throw a strike deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done 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 needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat 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 right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls 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 wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. 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 very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He located 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 sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

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

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