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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 young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom 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 young quarterback who looks like 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 surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he kept pushing: 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 ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three scores 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 over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved 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 gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the progress of their rookie QB. 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 quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great 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 beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. 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, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest 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 team – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

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 ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. 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 keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

It's clear who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to read the {passing game|pass