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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long pass to DeMario 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 throw a perfect pass downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat 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 right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up 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 reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, 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 division contenders again.

Bears fans 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 wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher 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.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped 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 winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, 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. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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