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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

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 elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win 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 large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to throw a perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. 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 squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting 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 exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans 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 what it’s supposed to look like 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 moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

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 target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. 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 touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line 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 one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

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

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