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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead 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. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts 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 straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat 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 right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. 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 how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders again.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing 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 quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport 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 still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years 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 rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. 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 first play with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, late defeat. 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 year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

It's clear who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass