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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 prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip 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 red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to deliver a strike deep. From there, 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 ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 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 routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots required all 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 contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week again, 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 be the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the development 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 QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking 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 long TD 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 very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He located McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

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