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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. In contrast, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an upset win over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye at his best, navigating the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum 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 right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. 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 teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That included a long TD 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 squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball 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 offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th.

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