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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young 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 current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. 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 long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead 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. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 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 top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three 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 protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, 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 structure of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, 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 constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated 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 used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

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 cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It changes the identity of a fan base 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 discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up 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 receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common 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 the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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