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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip 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 stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to deliver a perfect pass 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 forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. 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 defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, 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 now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure 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 just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 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.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

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