Putting the Patriots’ latest AFC East title into perspective
Somewhat lost in the chaotic aftermath of the Patriots’ stunning win against the Steelers on Sunday was the remarkable fact that Bill Belichick’s team clinched a ninth consecutive AFC East division title.
The span of nine straight division wins is an NFL record:
Patriots now have won the AFC East division title, marking the ninth consecutive division title for New England (2009-17), the longest streak in NFL history.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 18, 2017
And as NFL writers noted, the lack of attention on this story speaks for itself:
On Sunday the Patriots won their division for the 15th time in the last 17 years & not a huge national fuss was made of it. The ultimate compliment.
— Ian O’Connor (@Ian_OConnor) December 18, 2017
Yet for Patriots fans who remember the pre-Belichick history of the team, this supposed afterthought of a milestone still carries weight.
For example:
- In the preceding 40 seasons before Belichick was named head coach of the Patriots, New England won the division five times.
- In the Belichick era, the Patriots have won the AFC East 15 times in 18 seasons.
- Bill Belichick would have to coach for another 102 seasons and not win the division in that span in order to rebalance the historical frequency of Patriots division titles before his arrival in 2000. Prior to Belichick (1960-1999), the Patriots averaged winning the AFC East once every eight years. In Belichick’s time, the average is currently once every 1.2 years.
- The Cleveland Browns, currently 0-14, last won their division in 1989, the same year that Rob Gronkowski was born.
- Since 2001, the Patriots have won more than three times as many AFC East titles as the Jets have in their entire history, stretching back to 1960.
- The Patriots have now won more consecutive division titles in their current streak alone (9) than the Detroit Lions have in their entire 87-year history (8).
- In both seasons in the last 15 years when the Patriots didn’t win the AFC East, Belichick’s team finished with identical records as the division winner (9-7 in 2002, 11-5 in 2008), but lost on tiebreakers.
- Since the realignment prior to the 2002 season, the Patriots have won 14 division titles. The next closest teams in that category are the Colts and Packers (with nine each), neither of whom will win the division this season.
