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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom 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 young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip 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 settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, 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 first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators 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 Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the development 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 quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest 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 touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, last-minute loss. 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 season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 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 lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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