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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Half a decade. 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 looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win 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 more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. 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 opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated 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 no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 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 convert tough away matches into routine victories. 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 squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, 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 witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. 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 ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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