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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the New England 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 young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to throw a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer 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 convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. 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 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 tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, 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 touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

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