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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

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

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 important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. 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 pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. 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, conforming to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring 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 Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included 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.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position 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 Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass