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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. 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 top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: 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 upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 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 over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes 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 took hits a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. 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 confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. 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 scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, 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 discovered the solution today. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP 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 JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. 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, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver 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 deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

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 lowest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

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