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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered 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 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 went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching 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 at his best, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each 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 necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. 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 being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. 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 GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It changes the identity of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived 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 discovered the solution 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 look for JSN, constantly. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence 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 team's early yards through the air. That included a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher 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 Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles 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 return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line flails. 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 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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