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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and temporary starters. 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 through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, 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 upset win over the division favorites, a trip 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 three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. 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 no turnovers. 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 the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by 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 right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed 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 somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half 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 has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development 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 quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown 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 Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles 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 kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, 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 keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. 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 struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass