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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between young players and placeholders. In contrast, 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 through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long 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 deliver a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

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

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots required all 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 big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three touchdown passes while pressured, with each 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, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a rookie, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 TD passes, 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. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned 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 full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, 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 exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls once more.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the development of their rookie QB. 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 QB arrives. And for the other NFL quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots moved from the GOAT to a potential star in half a decade. Some teams spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find a solution.

Finding a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For 20 years, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the recent years have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and sacking him a season-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a long TD 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 squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point 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 ensuing kickoff. Then, the Chargers' QB and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the initial before tossing the other to the ground. He located McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th start.

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