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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

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 elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling 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 at his best, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more 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 Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends 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 target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a long TD 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 squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa 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.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the deck. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

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