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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in quarterback purgatory, cycling between prospects and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found their man.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a top-five starter and Most Valuable Player contender.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with the Bills' star and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division leaders, a trip to a struggling Saints squad had risk of a slump. And the Saints teased an upset. They executed a large gain on the first play of the game, before stalling out in the red zone and opting for a three points. 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, climbing through the protection to deliver a strike downfield. After that, he kept pushing: Maye torched the Saints in all parts of the field. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He finished 18 completions on 26 attempts for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. And it could have been more if not for a trio of debatable referee decisions.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, 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 avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum 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 gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he delivered under fire.

Maye was hit a few times and tackled once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes while pressured, with all three traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It's beyond statistics. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But this season, he’s been reminiscent of Brady, adapting to the confines of the scheme and delivering the ball to the right spot quickly.

This year, Maye is up to 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Now, he’s choosing wisely. He has avoided a TWP in three games.

After college, Maye was billed as a big-armed bomber. Scouts questioned his ability to read complex defenses and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But the offensive coordinator, in his third tour as Patriots offensive coordinator, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving weekly again, and Maye is leading the attack like an experienced veteran.

His growth has sped up the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still exist the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to cut his brain-farts-per-game in half. That would be progress. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six games into his second season, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s made the Patriots into division contenders 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 arrives. 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 went from the GOAT to a possible great in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and still don’t find anyone.

Finding a franchise QB is about beyond winning games. It changes the identity of a fan base and franchise. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to whatever would come next. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your Masshole friends to regain their Brady-era bluster.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle’s only way forward was for their QB to look for Smith-Njigba, constantly. The receiver answered with eight catches for over 150 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense led the way, pressuring the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven sacks. But it was JSN who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That included a 61-yard touchdown and perhaps the best route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Highlight of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another frustrating, late defeat. They took a one-point lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth score of the season. The Chargers then popped a 40-yard kickoff on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the deck. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It sums up the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of their QB and his teammates as his offensive line flails. 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 fell to 1-5. Miserable second-half collapses have become common for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another defeat, he’s losing time to save his job.

Notable Statistic

Minus-10. That’s the net passing yards Justin Fields ended with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos in London. It’s the fewest in any game since the San Diego Chargers had negative 19 in the late 90s. Back then, the Chargers started a rookie making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

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