After one week, the AFC East already looks like it belongs to Buffalo again.
The Bills opened the 2026 season with the kind of statement win that reminds everyone why they sat atop this division for so long before last year’s shakeup. New England, which had briefly taken control of the AFC East on its way to an unexpected Super Bowl run, stumbled in Week 1.
The Jets handled their business. Miami did not.
That leaves Buffalo back where it started for this exercise: on top.
Josh Allen was the headliner in the Bills’ 36-31 win over the Texans. He still plays like Josh Allen, and on Sunday he was at full superhero mode, dragging Buffalo through a shootout in Houston. Dalton Kincaid and DJ Moore both made their presence felt, and the result was what looks like Buffalo’s most dangerous passing game in years.
There are still questions on the other side of the ball. Jim Leonhard’s defense allowed 31 points to a Texans offense that was supposed to be struggling in 2025, and that’s worth watching closely.
Against stronger offenses, this group could have a harder time holding up. Even so, with some expected growth as the season goes on, Buffalo still looks built for a real Super Bowl push.
The challenge ramps up quickly. The Bills are back on the field Thursday night against the Lions to open the Week 2 slate.
New England remains second in the AFC East rankings, but only because it’s too early to completely toss aside the bigger picture. The Patriots’ 13-10 loss to the Seahawks was ugly in its own way.
Drake Maye, who had finished last season as an MVP runner-up, threw three interceptions that simply can’t happen. To make matters worse, A.J.
Brown is going on injured reserve, which trims the offense for at least the next month.
The Patriots are still ahead of the Jets here, but only by a sliver. The gap that once separated the top of the division from the bottom has nearly vanished, and Buffalo still looks a level above everyone else in the AFC East.
The Jets made the cleanest impression of the rest of the group with a 23-10 win over the Titans. Tennessee may be the worst team in the league this year, but New York still deserves credit for the way it handled business. The performance was disciplined, controlled and, for Jets fans, probably a little unfamiliar.
Geno Smith looked like a steady starter, the offensive line took over, and Aaron Glenn’s defense - boosted by a fresh wave of talent - made life miserable for Cam Ward. It’s not enough to say the Jets are suddenly chasing Buffalo for the division crown, but they also don’t look like the giveaway team they were in 2025.
Miami sits last after a 27-13 loss to the Raiders, and there’s not much sugarcoating it. One week in, the Dolphins already look like a team that should be thinking about the 2027 NFL Draft class. Malik Willis and the rookie pass catchers had a few moments, but the overall roster simply doesn’t have the talent to stay in the race.
What makes it worse is that Miami made Las Vegas, which was the NFL’s worst team last season, look dominant. Jeff Hafley’s club does not appear close to challenging for the top spot in the AFC East anytime soon.
In Other News...
Bills Home Opener Is Becoming A Costly Headache For Fans
The Bills home opener against the Detroit Lions is turning into a planning exercise as much as a football date for fans hoping to be in Orchard Park. Hotel rooms near Highmark Stadium are scarce and expensive, and even getting a place to leave the car has become part of the scramble, with stadium parking already sold out and neighborhood lots left as the main backup.
With a big crowd expected, the game day logistics are getting tighter by the hour. Several roads around the stadium will close before kickoff, adding another layer for anyone making the trip, and it has turned what should be a straightforward opening weekend into a costly headache for Bills supporters trying to get in the door. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Got The DJ Moore Update They Needed
DJ Moore gave the Bills something to keep an eye on after he was hurt on the final snap of Buffalos game against the Panthers, but the immediate concern has eased. Head coach Joe Brady later said Moore was good to go, and the receiver is not listed on Buffalos injury report heading into the next matchup with the Detroit Lions.
That is welcome news for a Bills offense that already saw what Moore can bring in his debut. He finished with five catches, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown, giving Buffalo a big-play presence that showed up right away and should matter again as the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Win Didnt Stop Jim Leonhard From Zeroing In On One Concern
Jim Leonhard had plenty to like after Buffalos 36-31 season-opening win over the Houston Texans, but the Bills defensive coordinator did not sound interested in treating the result as proof that everything was already in place. The score mattered, of course, and so did the way Buffalo opened the year with a victory, yet Leonhard still spent his review pointing out the defensive areas that need cleaning up as the Bills move deeper into September.
One of the clearer concerns came with inside linebacker Terrel Bernard, who played the entire game but showed up on the injury report the next day. For a defense trying to settle into Leonhards approach, those small turns can matter just as much as the big-picture result, and the early evaluation suggests Buffalos coordinator is keeping a firm eye on both the progress and the problems after a week one win. [Read more 🡒]