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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 young quarterback who looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. 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 potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a long deep ball to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to deliver a strike deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to find open targets. 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 where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and run a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into 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 quarterback arrives. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and never locate anyone.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It alters the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition 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.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner 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 disappointing, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line 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 one win and five losses. 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' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

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