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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad 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 stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long pass 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 pocket to deliver a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns 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 at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have ever done 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 make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like 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 game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, 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 TD.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

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