Pats’ division title run is done
After 11 seasons, AFC East to get new champ
Foxborough, Mass. For just the fourth time since Bill Belichick became Patriots coach in 2000, New England won’t end the season as AFC East champions.
The Buffalo Bills improved to 10-3 overall and 7-2 in the division with their 26-15 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. It eliminated the hopes of New England (6-7, 5-4) to extend its Nfl-record run of 11 straight division titles. The Los Angeles Rams own the NFL’S second-longest division streak, earning seven straight titles from 1973-79.
The Bills also beat New England 24-21 in Buffalo last month, though with their records now, the Patriots can’t catch Buffalo in the standings. The last time the Patriots failed to win the division was 2008, when Tom Brady suffered a season-ending injury in the opener.
This will also be the first time since Belichick’s first season in New England in 2000 that an AFC East foe has finished with more victories than the Patriots. In 2008, both New England and Miami were 11-5, but the Dolphins won the division on a tiebreaker, and the Patriots missed a wild-card spot by losing other tiebreakers.
The Jets and Patriots both finished 9-7 in 2002, with New York taking the division title.
New England is still mathematically alive to extend its league-record 11 consecutive playoff berths, but will need lots of help over the remainder of the season to do so.
The Patriots won six Super Bowls, nine AFC titles and 17 division championships after Brady took over as starting quarterback in 2001.
Jets: Quarterback Sam Darnold’s future with the team is uncertain, particularly because the 0-13 squad appears on a collision course with a franchise-changing decision. They currently hold the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft in April, and it would seem like a no-brainer that Clemson star Trevor Lawrence would be the choice — if he decides to leave school. Despite all that, Darnold still believes he is the future of the franchise. “Yeah, I do,” Darnold said. “I mean, I believe in myself as a quarterback and as a player in this league. Obviously, that decision isn’t up to me, but I’m always going to believe in myself. I have the utmost confidence in myself to be able to go out there and play good football on Sundays.”
Cowboys: The team’s executive vice president, Stephen Jones, said Monday that Mike Mccarthy will be returning as head coach next season.
Eagles: Rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts will be behind center when the Philadelphia Eagles (4-8-1) visit the Arizona Cardinals (6-6) on Sunday. Hurts led the Eagles to a 24-21 upset over the New Orleans Saints (10-3) in his first career start after replacing Carson Wentz.
Jaguars: Gardner Minshew was back on the field for the first time in nearly two months Sunday and seemingly did enough to reclaim Jacksonville’s starting quarterback job. But he will have to wait along with everyone else for coach Doug Marrone to make a decision. Minshew threw for 178 yards and a touchdown in a 31-10 loss to Tennessee.
Lions: The Detroit Lions will hold out hope as long as they can that quarterback Matthew Stafford can play at Tennessee on Sunday despite his banged-up ribs. www.times union.com for