"If anyone suggested at the start of the 2025 season that the New England Patriots would win the AFC East in Week 17 with an NFL-high 13-3 record, they would have surely been laughed at, and not just because they were coming off back to back seasons with just four wins, but also due to the expected continued rise of the Buffalo Bills, who have owned the division since 2020."
"At the beginning of the season, it looked like that would still be reality, until the Patriots went on a 10-game win streak and snuck into the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture. Now going into their season finale game against the Dolphins, they're AFC East Champions, while the Bills are hoping to move up from the seven seed."
The New England Patriots finished 13-3 and secured the AFC East title in Week 17 after a 10-game win streak that propelled them to the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture. The Patriots' turnaround followed two consecutive four-win seasons and surpassed preseason expectations while the Buffalo Bills' five-year run of division championships ended. The Bills now sit at the seven seed and must win to advance. Josh Allen's failed 2-point conversion cost the Bills the crown, and head coach Sean McDermott acknowledged disappointment while warning that the team's long-term position in the division is no longer fully under their control.
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