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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

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.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed 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 lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard pass 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 pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 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 consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

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

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, 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 find solace in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

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

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He located his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

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