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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

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 top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and surpassed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

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 important plays. 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 gave up multiple big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each 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 pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, 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 where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. 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 hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a long TD 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 touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He found his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, 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

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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