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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered 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 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 surpassed the current 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 leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half 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 questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play 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 passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved 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 has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly once more, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, 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 sophomore year, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in seeing the development of Caleb Williams. 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 quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 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 first play with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. 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 return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the ground. He found McConkey in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

It's clear who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass