Pats clinch AFC East; Bills' reign ends with loss

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye got right to the point after the team's 42-10 win over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

"Winning the division is what we're focused on," he said.

Maye ensured the Patriots were in position to do so with a history-making performance, then was able to sit back with teammates and celebrate winning the AFC East title as the Buffalo Bills lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 13-12 in Orchard Park, New York, later in the day.

It marked the Patriots' first division title since 2019. The Bills had won it in each year since.

On his first day on the job in January as the franchise was coming off a 4-13 season, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said: "Our goals will be to win the AFC East, to host home playoff games, and to compete for championships. We're certainly not going to put a timeline on what those will be. But that's going to be the expectations."

That the Patriots were able to accomplish their first goal so quickly is one of the NFL's surprise stories, and Maye's ascension to superstar has been at the heart of it. Sunday against the Jets was his latest gem as he finished 19-of-21 passing for 256 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions. One of the incompletions was a drop by receiver Kyle Williams late in the second quarter.

HATS & T-SHIRTS pic.twitter.com/bBUdcH1ya5

According to ESPN Research, Maye became only the third player in NFL history to record five passing touchdowns and complete 90% of his passes in a game, joining the Packers' Lynn Dickey (December 1981) and the Browns' Frank Ryan (December 1964).

Vrabel was asked if he believed Maye was the NFL's Most Valuable Player.

"They don't give me a vote," he said. "But there's nobody else that we want as our quarterback, that I want as our quarterback."

Maye's MVP odds improved from +300 to +180 after Sunday's game, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford the favorite at -225 ahead of his game Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons.

"He keeps getting better each and every week," veteran receiver Stefon Diggs (six receptions for 101 yards) said of Maye. "They kind of keeping this MVP stuff, so it's time we start rolling with it."

Maye led the Patriots to touchdowns on all six of his drives against the overmatched Jets (3-12) before being pulled with 5:21 remaining in the third quarter and New England holding a 42-3 lead. The Patriots were playing without four offensive starters because of injuries, but it didn't matter, with Maye noting, "We started fast and didn't stop from there."

Maye added that he was reflecting on the sideline in the fourth quarter that his first career regular-season action came at MetLife Stadium in a Week 3 loss last year to the Jets.

"It was kind of a full-circle moment -- of how far we've come, and the flip side of things, this year compared to last," he said.

Sunday's victory helped the Patriots improve to 8-0 on the road, which Vrabel had used as a motivational tactic leading into the game by reminding players they had "unfinished business" and needed to play to an identity of "road warriors." It marked the third time (2007, 2016) in franchise history the team finished unbeaten on the road.

In a video posted on the Patriots' official website in the postgame locker room, Vrabel noted the accomplishment while giving Maye a game ball.

"We started in Miami [in Week 2] and finished in New York. It was a lot of great efforts and everybody helped us, but I'm glad we got No. 10 pulling the trigger," Vrabel said.

Glad we got 🔟 https://t.co/wOlH8TUUnh pic.twitter.com/SGq0CVOt1u

Maye has played some of his best football away from home. According to ESPN Research, he has 773 passing yards when pressured on the road, easily the most in the NFL. Entering Week 17, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (518) was the only other player with more than 500 such yards.

On Sunday, Maye's final play was a 10-yard touchdown pass to undrafted rookie receiver Efton Chism III, who pointed in the direction of his QB after his pinpoint throw while rolling to his right.

"I said, 'You're him!' probably three or four times. I think everyone sees how great he is and how well he's playing, but he'll probably never say it about himself," Chism said of that moment. "He's a humble guy, and I respect and appreciate that about him, so if I get an opportunity to tell him, I want to tell him in that moment."

The Patriots still have a lot to play for in Week 18. If they beat the visiting Miami Dolphins (7-9), and the Denver Broncos (13-3) lose at home to the Los Angeles Chargers (11-5), they will be the AFC's No. 1 seed in the playoffs and earn the lone first-round bye.