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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Five years. From Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones to Bailey Zappe to Maye’s first choppy season to this: a young quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win 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 favorites, a trip to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the field. His first half 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 zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a QB rating above 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It didn’t matter. Maye passed all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and getting the ball where it needs to go quickly.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores 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 broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts doubted his ability to read complex defenses and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unleashed the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye used the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. Instead, 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 division contenders once more.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the progress 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 teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this game can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises 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 franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 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 receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

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

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