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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a 53-yard pass to Pop 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 protection to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters 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 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 ever done 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, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. 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 tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. 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 protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, 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 choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown 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 TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his protection flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, 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 running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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