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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen 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 threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking 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, climbing through the pocket to throw a strike downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 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 straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks 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 narrowly defeat 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 performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up 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 season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, 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 score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured 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 first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, 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 net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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