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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 only half a decade of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current 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 leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to deliver a strike 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 even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB 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 narrowly defeat 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 sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads 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 first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines 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 halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. 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 doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight catches 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, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best 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 touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade 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 position for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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