The AFC East has long been the Patriots’ playground-eighteen division titles and six Super Bowl banners under Tom Brady made that clear. But since Brady’s departure in 2020, the crown has belonged to Buffalo. Five straight division titles later, it’s been the Bills’ world, and the rest of the division has just been living in it.
Until now.
Fast forward to Week 15 of the 2025 season, and the Patriots are knocking on the door of a resurgence that felt improbable not long ago. At 11-2, New England is poised to reclaim the AFC East, and they can do it this Sunday at Gillette Stadium with a win over the 9-4 Bills. That’s right-it’s officially “Hat and T-shirt Game” time in Foxborough.
This isn’t just a symbolic milestone. A win would clinch the division with three weeks left on the schedule, giving Mike Vrabel’s squad the first tangible reward of a turnaround season that’s been nothing short of stunning.
Let’s put this in perspective. Just two years ago, the Patriots were trudging through back-to-back 4-12 seasons, cycling through coaching changes and looking like a team in search of identity. Now, they’re not only back in the playoff picture-they’re leading it.
According to current projections, the Patriots enter Week 15 with a 90% chance to win the division. Even if they stumble against Buffalo, those odds only drop to 77%, thanks to a two-game cushion and a favorable schedule to close out the year. After the Bills, New England hits the road to face the Ravens and Jets, before wrapping up the regular season at home against the Dolphins.
Buffalo doesn’t have an easy path either. They’ll travel to Cleveland in Week 16, then finish with back-to-back home games against the Eagles and Jets-no cupcakes in that bunch.
What makes this Patriots run even more impressive is how quickly Vrabel has instilled a winning culture. From day one, he set the tone.
“Our goals will be to win the AFC East, to host home playoff games, and to compete for championships,” Vrabel said back in January during his introductory press conference. “That’s what it’s going to take.”
He wasn’t interested in timelines or rebuilding rhetoric. Just results. And now, less than a year later, he’s on the verge of checking that first box.
This Sunday isn’t just another game-it’s a statement opportunity. A win would signal that the Patriots are officially back, not just as a playoff team, but as a force in the AFC once again. The dynasty days may be in the rearview mirror, but the foundation of something new is being laid brick by brick.
And if they keep this up, the rest of the AFC East-and the league-better start paying attention.