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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. 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 opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns 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 north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs convert tough away matches 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 struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three 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 protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting 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 reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It alters the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

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

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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