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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: 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 matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to throw a strike deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour 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 weekly once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the progress 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 QB arrives. And for the other NFL 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 five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons 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 regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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