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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered 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 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 matched throws with the Bills' star and surpassed the current 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 risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to deliver a perfect pass downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

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

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat 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 delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws while pressured, 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 protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like 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 running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the development 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 teams lacking QBs, 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. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB 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, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He located his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

It's clear who Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to read the {passing game|pass