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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-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 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye connects with Pop Douglas on a 53-yard bomb!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to deliver a strike deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino 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 important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, 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 confines of the system and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

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 debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. 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 other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It alters the identity of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner 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 disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

We know what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass