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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 prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

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 elite player and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team 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 red zone and opting for a field goal. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a 53-yard pass 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 strike deep. From there, he didn’t let up: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was compelled to post. He ended 18-of-26 for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it might have been better if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. 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 was hit a few times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It didn’t matter. 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 protection, scanning options to find open targets. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 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 conjure magic out of failed schemes. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his playbook. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded expectations. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders again.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the progress of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB emerges. And for the rest of the league’s 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 potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a transition from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to rediscover their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle’s only way forward was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout responded with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 targets, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jags 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 Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a long TD and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

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

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the first 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 kick.

It sums up the Chargers' year: narrowly winning on the brilliance of Herbert and his teammates 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 one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become standard for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Even then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th start.

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