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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit 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 stalling out in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to deliver a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. 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 scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed 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 somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense 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 season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, 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 into division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing 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 quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder 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. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included 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 squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the ground. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished 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 minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

It's clear what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass