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It's hard not to sympathize with the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball to Pop 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 perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

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 23 years old or less.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots required all 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 was hit a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the air.

It's beyond statistics. 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 run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. 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 picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders once more.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended 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 Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

We know what Fields is now: an elite rusher who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass