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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming 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 big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, launching a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to throw a strike downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have achieved 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, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. 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 defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. 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 system and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run 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 restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development 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 spent the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the development 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 quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond winning games. It alters the personality 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 Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to target Smith-Njigba, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking 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 team's early yards through the air. 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.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, last-minute loss. 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 score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He located McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the game-winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

We know what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass