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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 just five years of searching, the Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But the Saints game on Sunday may have been more remarkable. Fresh 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 settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to respond, uncorking a long pass to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye at his best, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His first half was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three touchdowns 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 ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs turn difficult road games into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. 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 big gains. This was a game that had to be won by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three going over 20 yards in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to find open targets. When needed, he can run 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 this season, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the confines of the system and delivering the ball where it needs to go in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 TD passes, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s reduced by half his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three outings.

After college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Evaluators questioned his capacity to read complex defenses and operate a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are evolving weekly once more, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots division contenders again.

Chicago supporters will take some comfort in witnessing the development of their rookie QB. 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 rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how cruel and cyclical this sport can be. The Patriots went from the greatest of all time to a potential star in half a decade. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and never locate a solution.

Finding a franchise QB is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fan base and franchise. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Tom Brady to the next era. They’ve discovered the solution today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver answered with eight receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all 117 of the team's early yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest 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 TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for his fourth score of the year. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard return on the following kick. From there, the Chargers' QB and his receiver took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He located McConkey in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection flails. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a floundering secondary. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s losing time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the San Diego Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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