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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the New England 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 looks like a elite player 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 outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play 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, launching a long deep ball 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, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 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 consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved 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 deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. 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 protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches 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 Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the identity of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured 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 team – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

It's clear who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass