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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 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 passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. 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 game that had to be won 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 didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, 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 now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 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 supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured 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 very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet 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 touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, 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 the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

It's clear what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass