The 2025 season has been an up-and-down year so far for the Patriots, as they started the year looking like a team far away from contention, only to go on a three-game win streak, with their most impressive showing against the Bills in primetime.
That put them on notice across the NFL, as Drake Maye is finally getting the recognition he deserves, and Mike Vrabel is being acknowledged for the improvements he has made to the team in a short amount of time.
The win against the Bills certainly holds more weight than some of the other teams they have beaten, especially since they have been the reigning divisional champions since Tom Brady left for the Bucs in 2020. But that stance atop the AFC East is looking a bit more questionable now, even if it is a little bit premature to suggest such a thing.
Regardless, the Patriots have made that win in Week 5 sting even more for Buffalo, as their loss to the Falcons on Monday Night Football officially moves New England into first place in the division.
The Bills' loss on Monday Night Football just sealed the Patriots face at the top of the AFC East
The demise of the Bills was on full display on Monday night, as they fell to the Falcons on the road in historically embarrassing fashion. Not only did they lose to Atlanta, but their comeback attempt failed when Josh Allen threw an interception to seal the deal.
It is only the third win of the year for the Falcons, and now moves the Bills to a 4-2 record.
Because the Patriots beat them last week, the tiebreaker works in their favor, therefore moving them to the top of the division for the first time since the 2019 season, the last year Brady was under center.
Now they have Maye performing at a high level early in his career, and he is a big reason the Patriots are back in this spot. There is still plenty of football left to be played, and a lot can change quickly in the NFL. However, it's nice to see the Patriots back to where they have been most comfortable, rather than at the bottom of the division and the league.