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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Half a decade. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: 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 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 ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum 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 allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up 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 spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort 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 what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of 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 Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up 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. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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