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

Half a decade. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen 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 leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 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 consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks 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 required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. 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 sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads 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 initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. 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. 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. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting 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 slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for 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 receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver 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 Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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