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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the 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 young quarterback who looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking 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 at his best, climbing through the protection to throw a strike downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio 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, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws 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 stout front. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye has 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 failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut 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 into playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive 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 more than victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included 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 Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, 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 advance in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest 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 making his 49th start.

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