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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, cycling between young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to throw a strike deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. 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 consecutive outing with over 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 top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up 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 year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans 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 the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The receiver responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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