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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. 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 young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long pass 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, climbing through the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the personality of a fan base 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 today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 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 pass-catcher 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 Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. 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 ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

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

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