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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young 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 went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed 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 all of four plays to answer, uncorking a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, 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 routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground 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 tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, 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. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB 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 moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included a long TD and maybe the nastiest 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 yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, 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 standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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