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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 just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. 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 ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket 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 is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development 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 spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the identity 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 the next era. 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. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. 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 touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another defeat, 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 fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

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