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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who looks like a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen 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 favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

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 crucial downs. The Patriots required all of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a stout front. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and delivering the ball where it needs to go quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will find solace in witnessing 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 quarterback emerges. 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 potential star in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the identity of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher 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 Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point 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 kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped 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 move the ball in range for the game-winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard 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 net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even 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 elite rusher who has difficulty to read the {passing game|pass