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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

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 make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. 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 passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed 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 first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, 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 predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 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 receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new team – 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 Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end 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 took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

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