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You have to feel for the Cleveland Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in quarterback purgatory, rotating through prospects and temporary starters. In contrast, after just five years of searching, the New England Patriots – the post-Tom Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a 23-year-old quarterback who looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.

Last week was his breakout: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and surpassed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an upset win over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had potential for a letdown. And the Saints teased an upset. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before faltering in the red zone and settling for a three points. It took Maye all of four plays to answer, uncorking a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead touchdown.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so searing that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. 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 questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at 23 years old or less.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, keep the offense chugging and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye’s near perfection to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense allowed multiple chunk plays. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye was hit a several times and tackled once, but the pressure he faced was continuous. It made no difference. Maye passed all three scoring throws while pressured, 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 protection, bouncing through reads to find open targets. When needed, he can run and improvise on the ground. 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 reminiscent of Brady, conforming to the confines of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot quickly.

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 conjure magic out of broken plays. Now, he’s picking his moments. He has avoided a turnover-worthy play in three outings.

After college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts questioned his ability to process sophisticated coverages and run a complex offense. Too loose. 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 shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development 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 used the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has exceeded predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s turned into one of the league’s best – and he’s made the Patriots playoff hopefuls again.

Bears fans will find solace in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s teams lacking QBs, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Some teams spend a 25 years looking – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It alters the personality of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the last few seasons have been about not constructing a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Prepare for your New England pals to regain their Brady-era bluster.

MVP of the Week

JSN, WR, Seattle Seahawks. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars 20-12. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding the Jaguars' QB and dropping him a year-high seven times. But it was JSN who supported the Seahawks’ offense, accounting for all the first 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a long TD and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his very first snap with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the losing end of another frustrating, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow 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 returned a 40-yard kickoff on the following kick. Then, Justin Herbert and his receiver seized control.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Somehow, Herbert escaped two defenders, dodging the initial before throwing the second to the ground. He found his target in the short area, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to advance in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers' year: squeaking by on the brilliance of their QB and his surrounding playmakers as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a pass-rush that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the net passing yards the Jets' QB finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. It’s the lowest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had Ryan Leaf making his third game. Fields was making his 49th.

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