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You have to feel for the Browns, New York Jets, and Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through young players and temporary starters. Meanwhile, after just five years of looking, the Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been even more impressive. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before faltering in the redzone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long pass to Pop Douglas for the leading touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the protection to throw a perfect pass downfield. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a QB rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The best quarterbacks convert tough away matches into routine victories. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and make the decisive throws on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s confident and composed 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 first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays 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. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate 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 scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week again, and Maye is piloting the attack like an eight-year vet.

His development 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 be the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters 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 QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a possible great in five years. Some teams spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than victories. It changes the personality of a fanbase and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

MVP of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 20-12. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who carried the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers returned 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 brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, slipping past the first before throwing the second to the ground. He located his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in position for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line flails. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common 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 the Jets' QB ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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