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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a strike deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns 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 at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws 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 pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, 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 games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders again.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game 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 alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest 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 team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end 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 seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to read the {passing game|pass