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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 prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a 23-year-old 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 matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to deliver a strike deep. From there, 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 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 questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. 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 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 tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, 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, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for JSN, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, making up 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 receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The 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 their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished 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 negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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