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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade 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 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming 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 first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, 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 deliver a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection 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 game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. 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 choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. 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 exceeded predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the development of their rookie QB. 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 quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the identity of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured a 61-yard touchdown 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 touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, 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, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

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