SI

Are the Patriots Really Going to Win the AFC East?

A result no one saw coming is getting more realistic.

Kyle Koster

Drake Maye and the Patriots are atop the division at 6-2.
Drake Maye and the Patriots are atop the division at 6-2. / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
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The Patriots continued their surprising and thoroughly impressive play on Sunday by thumping the Browns, 32-13. Drake Maye continued his breakout season by throwing three touchdowns and accounted for 50 of New England's 177 rushing yards. Mike Vrabel seems to have transformed the defense as the unit has held opponents to 21 points or fewer in seven of eight contests to this point.

At 6-2 the Pats sit atop the AFC East and currently have the tiebreaker over the preseason favorite Bills by virtue of pulling off a major upset (or what was considered an upset at the time) in Buffalo. And belief that New England will emerge as the division champion is something people are hearing more often and with more conviction.

Alex Smith is the latest to give voice to it after being asked point-blank on Monday's Get Up.

"I like the Patriots, as crazy as that is to say," said Smith. "I can't believe it. Because of the play of Drake Maye but especially on this defense. They have the better defense. This is a team sport. Bills still have a lot of question marks on that side of the ball."

Rex Ryan jumped in with his own efficient assessment by saying the Patriots have a better coach.

So again, New England has a half-game lead over Buffalo with a head-to-head victory already. Maye has been playing as well as virtually any other quarterback. And the defense is stingy.

Still, it's quite a thing to say less than 24 hours after the Bills posted a 40-9 win over the Panthers. Josh Allen is still Josh Allen. Yes, the Patriots get a home crowd in what should be a pivotal clash on Dec. 14 and the result of that game is likely to have a huge impact on the AFC East race.

Perhaps the biggest reason for New England fans to be optimistic was not mentioned in the above clip.

They have, by all metrics, a tremendously easy schedule. ESPN ranks it as the fifth-easiest the rest of the way. Buffalo's is right in the middle of the pack. Vrabel's side will only play two teams with winning records over thier last nine contests (Buffalo and Tampa Bay). Meanwhile the Bills have five (Chiefs, Bucs, Patriots, Steelers and Eagles).

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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