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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

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 top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

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 Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was compelled to post. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts 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 straight game with at least 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 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 flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket 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.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. 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 smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise QB arrives. 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 GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. 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 first play with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another disappointing, late defeat. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by 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 floundering secondary. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

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