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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

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 MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a 53-yard 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, navigating the protection to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: 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 finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on important plays. 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 allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, 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 where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It alters the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest 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 team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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