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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Half a decade. 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 looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

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 struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off 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 just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores 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 over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each 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 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, conforming to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go 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 broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward 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 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a long TD and perhaps the best 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 team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the ground. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, 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 running out of time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

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