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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and placeholders. In contrast, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found 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 young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. 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 lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long pass to Pop Douglas for the go-ahead score.

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

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 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 passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes 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 delivered under fire.

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

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, 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 still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, constantly. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards through the air. That featured 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 very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to advance in position for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB 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 fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Even then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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