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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-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 Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by 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 delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be 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 smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. 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 cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a long TD 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 very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard 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 the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass