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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, cycling between young players and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. 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 road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to deliver a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. 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 tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. 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 GOAT to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included 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 squad – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. 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 kickoff on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. 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 save his job.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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