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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the 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 young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to throw a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games 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 narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing 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 quarterback emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived 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 discovered the solution today. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest 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 TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the 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. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates 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 fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses 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 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 negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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