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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory 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 opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass 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 pocket to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

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

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground 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 delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

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 take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing 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 other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game 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 looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, 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 found the answer now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-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 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 very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight 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 his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He located his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

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