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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Half a decade. 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 elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team 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 red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater 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 questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, 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 avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit 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 all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth 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 be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters 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 the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher 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 yet another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped 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.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

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