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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Half a decade. 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 looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long pass to Pop 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 perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores 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 at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit 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 contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

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 failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth 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 spent the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB 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 failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged 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 supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included 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 squad – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

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