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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises 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 to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. 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 gave up multiple chunk plays. 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 defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. 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, adapting to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

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

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the deck. He found his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

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