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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the New England 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 looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw 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 surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done 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 flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense gave up 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 several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed 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 self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

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 the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included 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 very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass