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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England 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 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current 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 leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to throw a strike downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. 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 scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

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

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. 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 few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the development 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 QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. 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 catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. 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 first play with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. 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.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

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