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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams 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 after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. 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 Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play 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, launching a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to throw a strike downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina 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 series of debatable referee decisions.

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

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his rookie year, when he was always attempting to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress 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 arrives. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters 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 Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, constantly. The wideout answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a score 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 times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was making his 49th start.

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