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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered 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 MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to throw a strike downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games 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 required all of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. 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 defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.

Chicago supporters 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 the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for 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.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He found his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

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