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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom 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 looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. 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 ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging 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 gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. 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, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, 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 has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. 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 each week once more, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth 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 highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches 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 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 quarterback arrives. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, 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. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It alters the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Tom 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.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-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 through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best 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.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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