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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. 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 MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts 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 scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio 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 Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play 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 few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

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

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace 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 quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example 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 25 years looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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