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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

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 looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays 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 protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 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 straight game with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. 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 allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each 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 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 little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, 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 failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver 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 Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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