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

Five years. 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 MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip 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 red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to throw a strike deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs 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 couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, 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 protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

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 exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, 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 more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up 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 receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

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