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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, 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 avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads 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 now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming 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 only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans 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 what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, 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 QB is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a long TD 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 squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

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