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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting 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 connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. 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 no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer 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, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure 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 beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.

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 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 potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 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 very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. 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 decipher the {passing game|pass