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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have endured years in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after just five years of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom 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 young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the fourth quarter. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been even more impressive. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a big play on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and settling for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to Pop Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, navigating the pocket to deliver a perfect pass downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the playing surface. His first half was so searing that his alma mater was compelled to post. He finished 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and Dan Marino have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a stout front. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards 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 necessary, he can run and improvise on the ground. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, escaping pressure at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and only two picks. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Evaluators questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Overly casual. Too reckless. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unleashed the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is piloting the offense like an eight-year vet.

His development has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye used the season trying to reduce 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 NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the progress of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. 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 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 looking – and never locate anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It alters the identity of a fan base and organization. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who carried the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured 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 very first snap with his new team – a 61-yard TD.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of 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 return on the following kick. Then, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the first before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Painful late-game failures have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

It's clear who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to decipher the {passing game|pass