Order has been restored in the AFC East. Through two weeks of NFL action, the hierarchy of the division is coming into focus. Each team faced off with non-divisional opponents this week, and the results couldn't have been more telling.
The Buffalo Bills got their work done early this week with a Thursday night win over the Detroit Lions. Joe Brady's squad watched on Sunday afternoon as the New England Patriots picked up a convincing win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins both fell to NFC opponents.
It's still early in the season, but the Bills are starting to look like the clear top team in the AFC East. Here's how things currently stand in the division.
AFC East power rankings entering Week 3
Week 2 results
- Bills beat Lions 41-31
- Patriots beat Steelers 20-3
- Jets lose to Packers 20-17 (OT)
- Dolphins lose to 49ers 35-13
1. Buffalo Bills
Buffalo's defense still isn't up to par through two weeks after allowing 31 points for the second consecutive game. Even if the Bills were in control throughout their win over the Lions, Jim Leonhard's unit needs to improve if the Bills are going to be serious Super Bowl contenders.
But Josh Allen makes this team impossible to ignore. He has been the best player in the NFL so far this season. He took over the game again with three passing touchdowns and very few obvious mistakes. If he continues to play at this level, nobody is catching the Bills in the race to win the AFC East.
Next game: Sunday, Sep. 27th vs. Chargers
2. New England Patriots
The Patriots' win over the Steelers said more about Pittsburgh than it did about New England. Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers were a mess on offense and struggled to find any consistency. While the Patriots' defense had some strong individual performances, they weren't as dominant as the scoreboard suggests.
On offense, Drake Maye continued to shake off the rust that he carried into his third season. Through two weeks, he has thrown four interceptions and has been sacked six times. New England's offense ranks 25th in the NFL in EPA per play and 18th in offensive success rate. Even after a three-score win, the Patriots don't look like a team that's seven months removed from a Super Bowl appearance.
Next game: Sunday, Sep. 27th @ Jaguars
3. New York Jets
The Jets aren't going to be handing out free wins in 2026. While they fell short against the Packers, they looked competent on both sides of the ball for the second week in a row. Geno Smith seems to have bounced back from his brutal 2025 campaign and has New York's offense clicking.
Aaron Glenn's defense has been a top-ten unit in just about every statistical category. Despite their lack of talent on the back end, they're playing sound, physical football. If they can go toe-to-toe with the Detroit Lions in Week 3, the Jets could even leapfrog the Patriots in our rankings. For now, they hold onto the third spot.
Next game: Sunday, Sep. 27th @ Lions
4. Miami Dolphins
Arch Manning looks like an exciting quarterback prospect. That's about the best we can say for the Dolphins, who were outmatched in every area in their loss to the 49ers. While some of their young players have had encouraging starts to the year, Jeff Hafley's team just doesn't have the talent to compete at a high level.
They'll likely steal a win or two throughout the season, but the Dolphins are already on tank watch through two weeks.
Next game: Sunday, Sep. 27th vs. Chiefs
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