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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. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-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 looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, 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 red zone and settling for a field goal. 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, climbing through the pocket to throw a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 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 over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on crucial downs. 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 passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. 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 other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. 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. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the game-winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, 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. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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