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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and 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 – seem to have discovered their man.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to throw a strike downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 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 above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. 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 pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, 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 games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint 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 once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

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 highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. 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 emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best 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 TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

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