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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

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

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders once more.

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 cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Get ready for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss 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 in his 49th start.

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