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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 road win in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the current 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 teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. 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 QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

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

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. 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 arrives. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, 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 year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of 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 London. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

We know who Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to read the {passing game|pass