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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 young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-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 young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater 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 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 turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators 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 full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the development 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 QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends 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 their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for 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 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 touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. 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’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

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

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