Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Julian Edelman explains why Patriots will win AFC East
"Winning games you’re supposed to win, especially when there’s a ton of praise all week, is the mark of a well coached team."
The Patriots leapfrogged the Bills and moved into first place in the AFC East last week after Buffalo lost to the Falcons on Monday Night Football.
Former Patriots wide receiver and current Fox Sports analyst Julian Edelman doesn’t expect his old team to be knocked off that perch atop the division for the remainder of the 2025 NFL season.
Speaking on Sunday ahead of the Patriots’ fourth-straight win of the season against the Titans, Edelman relayed his belief that New England will win its first divisional title since 2019.
“There’s a team that’s trending up, and there’s a team that’s trending down,” Edelman said on FOX on Sunday. “The team that’s trending down is the Buffalo Bills. I’m hitting that panic button right now.
Advertisement:
“The Patriots, on the other hand, they just continue to get better and better,” he added. “Drake Maye’s playing really good, sound football. He’s not turning the ball over. They got a running game going, and Vrabel’s got that defense firing on all cylinders.”
Edelman took to social media after New England’s 31-13 win over the Titans on Sunday to further praise the Patriots’ strides this season under Vrabel.
“Winning games you’re supposed to win, especially when there’s a ton of praise all week, is the mark of a well coached team,” Edelman wrote on X. “Vrabel has this team trending exactly the way he wants #GoPats”
For Edelman, his belief in the Patriots isn’t just rooted in Drake Maye’s emergence or Vrabel’s stewardship.
Advertisement:
On Fox’s broadcast, he also pointed to Buffalo’s struggles as of late, with the Bills dropping two straight games — including a primetime matchup against New England in Week 5 — before entering their bye week this past weekend.
“They’re giving up 5.8 yards a carry right now, and that’s not sustainable if you want to play late into the season when the weather starts to turn, the tackling gets worse,” Edelman said. “I’m worried about them.”
The Patriots might be in the midst of a four-game winning streak, but their schedule will get far more daunting down the stretch — including road matchups against the Buccaneers, Bengals, and Ravens.
Buffalo will also have a chance to exact some revenge against New England when they arrive in Foxborough for a Week 15 showdown on Dec. 14.
Still, Edelman believes this is the year that the Patriots get over the hump.
“They’re gonna win the division,” Edelman said of his former team.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com