The AFC East is back where it always seems to end up: with Buffalo and New England fighting over the top spot.
After the Patriots snapped the Bills’ run last season, oddsmakers are still leaning toward Buffalo to reclaim the division in 2026. The Bills are listed at -135, which carries an implied 57.45% chance to win the AFC East. New England sits right behind at +125, implying a 44.44% chance.
That setup makes sense after what happened a year ago. Drake Maye helped lead the Patriots to a 14-3 record, a huge jump for a team that had gone 4-13 in each of the previous two seasons and hadn’t finished above .500 since 2021. Buffalo wasn’t far behind, finishing 12-5 and standing as the only other AFC East team to clear the break-even mark.
For most of the 21st century, the division has belonged to either New England or Buffalo. Miami has broken through only in 2000 and 2008, and the Jets’ lone division title in that span came in 2002.
The Bills, though, have been a model of consistency. Since 2019, they’ve posted between 10 and 13 wins every season, and that stretch has been interrupted only by two Patriots division titles. Entering 2026, Buffalo is back in the favorite’s chair.
As for the Dolphins and Jets, they still have work to do before they can be viewed as real threats in the division race. Miami has managed a few over-.500 seasons this decade, while New York hasn’t topped seven wins since 2015.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
In Other News...
Patriots Bubble Players Face One Final Shot To Survive Cuts
The Patriots head into their preseason finale against the Browns with the hard part still to come, and for a handful of players, this game is less about the score than the final impression. New England must trim its roster from 90 to 53 after the contest, which puts an unforgiving spotlight on bubble players who have spent camp trying to separate themselves from the pack.
Among the names drawing the most attention are running back Lan Larison, linebacker Chad Muma, quarterback Behren Morton and wide receiver Efton Chism III, all of whom need a strong showing to help their case. The competition has been tight throughout camp, and recent performances have only sharpened the stakes, leaving one last chance for these players to make a convincing argument before the cuts arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Family Helped Deliver A Gillette Moment Fans Will Love
Gillette Stadium recently became the setting for a moment that went far beyond football, as Ann Michael Maye joined Skylar, a 16-year-old Massachusetts teen diagnosed with a brain tumor, for a Make-A-Wish experience built around something as simple and comforting as baking gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. The visit also gave Skylar a customized Patriots jersey and tickets to a preseason game, turning a team site into a day centered on family, support and a little bit of joy.
Drake Maye was part of the moment too, even if only through FaceTime, and he later signed Skylars jersey before the game. For the Patriots, it was the kind of off-field connection that reminds fans how often the organizations biggest impact has nothing to do with the scoreboard, and how a visit to Foxborough can mean something lasting when it is tied to a childs wish. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Starter Suddenly Has Real Reason To Fear For His Job
Bryce Baringers injury has pushed the Patriots into another uneasy stretch at a position they would prefer not to keep revisiting. After missing the previous game, Baringers absence forced New England to add veteran Matt Haack, and the timing gives the team a chance to see whether a temporary fix can look like something more. The Patriots have dealt with punter instability in recent years, so even a small change at the spot tends to get attention.
Haack is expected to handle punting duties in the upcoming preseason game, and what happens next will hinge on how quickly Baringer gets back. If the veteran settles in well, the Patriots may have more to think about than just getting through one injury absence. For a team that has been searching for steadier footing at the position, this is the kind of camp development that can quietly become a real roster decision. [Read more 🡒]