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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

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 looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

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

It was Maye in peak form, navigating the pocket to throw a perfect pass deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with at least 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved 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 contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can take off and create with his legs. As a rookie, he was a little chaotic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and run a detailed system. Too loose. Too reckless. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Browns or Jets fan, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a possible great in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It changes the identity of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher 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 Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who faked out a defender to move the ball in position for the winning kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped 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.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' close defeat to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any match since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

We know what Fields is now: an elite rusher who struggles to read the {passing game|pass