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

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 appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win 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 upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the opening snap 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 long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 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 series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. 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 allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each traveling 20 yards or more 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 locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, 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 to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. 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 mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls 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 quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build 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.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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