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It's hard not to sympathize with the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered 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 young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, 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 at his best, navigating the protection to deliver a strike deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in seeing the progress 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 arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. 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 discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded 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 set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. 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.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the first before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. 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 dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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