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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, 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 looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina 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 consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, 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 routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. 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 big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. 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 in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the personality 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 Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense 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, accounting for 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 team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. 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. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing 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 Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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