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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

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 matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns 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 over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, 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 struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. 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 touchdown passes while pressured, with all three going over 20 yards in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the development of Caleb Williams. 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 arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – 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 gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured a long TD 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 first play with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

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

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. 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 professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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