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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom 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 looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, 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. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to throw a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

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

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 stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved 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 hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed 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 leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

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

Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It alters the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the team's early 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 team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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