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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. 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 struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 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 above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws 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 allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, 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, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns 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 failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the progress of their rookie QB. 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 QB emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. 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 kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He found his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass