For two decades, the New England Patriots dominated the AFC East, winning a staggering 17 division titles in 19 seasons from 2001 to 2019.
Since Tom Brady left the Patriots, however, the Buffalo Bills have taken over, winning five consecutive AFC East titles from 2020 to 2024.
The Bills appeared well on their way to a sixth straight division crown this year after starting the season 4-0. They’ve lost their last two games, however, allowing New England to pass them in the standings.
While both teams are 4-2 after Week 6, the first-place Patriots hold the tiebreaker after beating Buffalo 23-20 in Week 5.
New England followed that up with another win — its third in a row — on Sunday over the New Orleans Saints. Meanwhile, the Bills dropped their second straight game in primetime with their 24-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football, slipping to second place in the process.
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This is the first time the Patriots have led the AFC East since 2021 — the last time they made the playoffs. It’s also their first time leading the division after Week 6 since 2019 — the last time they won the AFC East.
With Buffalo off in Week 7, New England has a chance to pad its lead and extend its winning streak with an easy road matchup against Mike Vrabel’s old team, the Tennessee Titans. The Titans are 1-5 and just fired their head coach, setting up the Patriots for another strong performance this weekend.
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With the New York Jets at 0-6 and the Miami Dolphins at 1-5, New England appears to be the Bills’ only serious competition for the division this year. There’s still a long way to go, but the Patriots’ hot start has them at the top of the standings for the first time in years.
