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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams 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 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.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches 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 struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, 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 scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. 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 QB emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 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.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He found his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert 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 defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver 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.

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