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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win 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 field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the leading 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 dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws 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 stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, 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 outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing 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 QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush 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.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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