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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Half a decade. 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 victory away 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. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game 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, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. 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 chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. 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 Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, 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 structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. 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 went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a long TD 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 Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging 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 offensive line flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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