NFL AFC East Standings 2026
AFC East standings for the 2026 NFL season. The Buffalo Bills lead the division at 5-1.
The New England Patriots sit a game and a half back. Inside the division, the records so far are the Bills 0-1, the Patriots 2-0, the Jets 0-2 and the Dolphins 1-0. The Bills have the best point differential in the division at +26.
One of the four teams is in playoff position today, the Bills at No. 2. The Patriots are the defending champions after winning the AFC East at 14-3 in 2025. The Bills magic number to clinch the AFC East is 10.
| # | Team | W | L | T | PCT | GB | HOME | AWAY | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | DIFF | STRK | L5 | PROJ | MAGIC | NEXT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Buffalo BillsBUF |
5 | 1 | 0 | .833 | - | 2-1 | 3-0 | 0-1 | 3-1 | 197 | 171 | +26 | W2 | 4-1 | 14 | 10 | vs BAL Sun 11/1 |
| 2 |  New England PatriotsNE |
4 | 3 | 0 | .571 | 1.5 | 3-0 | 1-3 | 2-0 | 4-1 | 160 | 143 | +17 | L1 | 3-2 | 10 | E10 | @ MIA Sun 11/1 |
| 3 |  New York JetsNYJ |
2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | 3.5 | 1-2 | 1-3 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 137 | 150 | -13 | L2 | 1-4 | 5 | E8 | vs LV Sun 11/1 |
| 4 |  Miami DolphinsMIA |
1 | 5 | 0 | .167 | 4 | 0-2 | 1-3 | 1-0 | 1-3 | 98 | 157 | -59 | W1 | 1-4 | 3 | E8 | vs NE Sun 11/1 |
- #
- Place in division
- W
- Wins
- L
- Losses
- T
- Ties
- PCT
- Winning percentage
- GB
- Games behind division leader
- HOME
- Home record
- AWAY
- Away record
- DIV
- Division record
- CONF
- Conference record
- PF
- Points for
- PA
- Points against
- DIFF
- Point differential
- STRK
- Current streak
- L5
- Last 5 games
- PROJ
- Projected final wins at the current rate
- MAGIC
- Magic number: any combination of leader wins and second-place losses that clinches the division (E = elimination number; 0 = out of the division race)
- NEXT
- Next game
- x
- Clinched playoff berth
- y
- Clinched wild card
- z
- Clinched division
- *
- Clinched division and home-field advantage
- e
- Eliminated from playoff contention
- ▲ ▼
- Moved up or down since the last games
- Playoff cutoff (conference view)
Standings are updated with the completion of each game. Ties count as half a win. Clinch tags use wins-only maths and appear once a spot is mathematically settled.
AFC East clinch watch
Bills5-1Magic number10Patriots4-3 · 1.5 GBElimination number10Jets2-5 · 3.5 GBElimination number8Dolphins1-5 · 4 GBElimination number8Magic number = any combination of leader wins and second-place losses that clinches the division. Elimination number = how much a chaser can still lose before the title is out of reach.
AFC East Teams
Buffalo Bills5-1 · AFC No. 2Next: vs Ravens, Sun, Nov 1 1:00 PMNew England Patriots4-3 · AFC No. 8Next: @ Dolphins, Sun, Nov 1 4:25 PMNew York Jets2-5 · AFC No. 11Next: vs Raiders, Sun, Nov 1 1:00 PMMiami Dolphins1-5 · AFC No. 14Next: vs Patriots, Sun, Nov 1 4:25 PMAFC East Games
Results
Upcoming
Recent AFC East Champions
New England Patriots14-3 · +1702024Buffalo Bills13-4 · +1572023Buffalo Bills11-6 · +1402022Buffalo Bills13-3 · +1692021Buffalo Bills11-6 · +194AFC East title history
Since 2021 the AFC East has been won by 2 different teams. The Buffalo Bills have the most titles in that span with 4. The strongest champion was the Patriots in 2025 at 14-3.
A division title is worth a home playoff game: every division winner is seeded 1 to 4 regardless of record.
📋 Full AFC standings → 🏆 Playoff picture →
AFC East FAQ
Who is leading the AFC East?
The Buffalo Bills. They are 5-1 as of October 26.
Which teams are in the AFC East?
The Buffalo Bills, the New England Patriots, the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins.
How far back is second place in the AFC East?
The New England Patriots trail the Buffalo Bills by a game and a half.
How many AFC East teams are in playoff position?
One as of October 26: the Bills at No. 2.
When is the next AFC East game?
Patriots at Dolphins on Sunday, November 1, Week 8.
Who won the AFC East last season?
The New England Patriots, at 14-3 in 2025.
Who has won the AFC East most often recently?
The Buffalo Bills, with 4 titles in the last 5 seasons.
How is the AFC East winner decided?
Best winning percentage over the regular season. If two teams tie, head-to-head record decides first, then division record, then record in common games and conference record.
Does the AFC East winner make the playoffs?
Yes. Every division winner is seeded 1 to 4 in its conference, regardless of record, and hosts a Wild Card game unless it is the No. 1 seed.
What does GB mean?
Games behind the division leader. A half game means the teams have played a different number of games.
Updated · last result change Oct 25