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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and 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 – seem to have discovered their man.

Five years. 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 top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Orchard Park, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an upset win over the division leaders, a visit to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. 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 opting for a field goal. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching 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 throw a strike deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in every area of the field. His opening two quarters was so searing that even North Carolina 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 consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino have achieved that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into routine victories. They don’t put the ball in harm’s way, keep the offense chugging and make the decisive throws on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye's passing. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was constant. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the pocket, scanning options to locate receivers. When needed, he can run and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But this season, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the confines of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s halved his Turnover Worthy Play rate from his rookie year, when he was constantly trying to create plays out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was touted as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the entire range of his scheme. Maye isn’t being limited; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting weekly again, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be second-year progress, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the year trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be progress. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls once more.

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 wince. Because this is what it’s supposed to look like when a franchise quarterback emerges. And for the other NFL teams lacking QBs, it’s yet another reminder of how harsh and repetitive this sport can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a 25 years searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about beyond victories. It changes the identity of a fanbase and franchise. For two decades, the Pats lived the privileged existence. But the last few seasons have been about failing to build a bridge from Tom Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve discovered the solution now. Get ready for your New England pals to regain their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for JSN, constantly. The receiver responded with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jags by eight points. The Seahawks' D set the tone, pressuring Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a season-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, making up all the first 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That featured a 61-yard touchdown 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 touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the losing end of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after their QB found Darren Waller for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found McConkey in the flat, who faked out a defender to move the ball in range for the winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it reflects the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins fell to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for the Dolphins. With another defeat, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ close defeat to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th.

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