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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, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom 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 young quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. 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 ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. From there, 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 forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, 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 this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans 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 quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport 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 anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. 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, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured 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 TD.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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