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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, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Half a decade. 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 Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area 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 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 passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino 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, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw 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 Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 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 create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined 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 improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a long TD 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 team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point 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 return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

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

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