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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, 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 through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 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 series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging 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 stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. 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. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver 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.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, 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 score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

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