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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, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered 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 Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning 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 lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off 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 answer, uncorking a long deep ball to DeMario 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 perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

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

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, 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, adapting to the structure of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest 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 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 under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown 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.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM 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 located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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