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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, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom 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 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. 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 executed a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

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

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can run 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 reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns 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 has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be 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 matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s 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 possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 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 receiver all year.

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

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the deck. He found 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’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish 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

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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