American Football
Patriots backed to beat Bills to AFC East title by former NFL player
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Almost every bookmaker makes Josh Allen's Buffalo Bills favourites to win the AFC East in 2026, but at least one former player thinks otherwise.
Appearing on Good Morning Football, available to NFL Game Pass subscribers on DAZN, former NFL linebacker Manti Te'o made the case for the New England Patriots to repeat as division champs.
Te'o: Patriots' defense and new additions are key
“There’s not a lot of talk about this defense," he argued, before outlining why he believes the unit has what it takes to hang with the best teams in the league.
"If you look at the playoffs last year, do you know who led the playoffs in points allowed per game - sacks, takeaways, and limiting opponents' quarterbacks to the smallest passer rating?
“It was the Pats. It wasn’t the Seattle Seahawks, it wasn’t the Denver Broncos, it wasn’t the Houston Texans," he said.
Whether you disagree with his prediction or not, his argument about New England's defensive record in the postseason holds up.
Despite giving up 29 points in Super Bowl LX, the Patriots surrendered an average of only 13.75 points per game in the playoffs after limiting the Chargers to 3, the Texans to 16, and the Broncos to 7.
Yes, neither L.A. nor Houston could protect their quarterback all year, and Denver was without the injured Bo Nix, but Te'o thinks Mike Vrabel's defense deserves more credit all the same.
“I think the Patriots are, and should be talked about as the favourite in the AFC East,” he concluded.
The case against Te'o's prediction
Stefon Diggs had his off-field issues, but he produced at a high level, and there's no guarantee the new receivers can do the same. More on that later.
K'Lavon Chaisson, the man responsible for three of New England's 31 postseason sacks, signed with the Washington Commanders in free agency.
His 50 pressures in the regular season led the team, and his 7.5 sacks trailed only team leader Harold Landry's 8.5.
New England also allowed their interception leader, safety Jaylinn Hawkins, to depart for the Baltimore Ravens in free agency.
None of those three players was a world-beater by any measure, but that kind of production won't be easy to replace.
The case for Te'o's prediction
"If you look at the AFC East, and all of those teams in there, I think you could argue that the Patriots got better, personnel-wise," Te'o said.
It's far too early to pass judgment on the team's draft selections, but the free agent acquisitions certainly back up his point.
The headline capture was the signing of A.J. Brown, who ensures quarterback Drake Maye has a legitimate WR1 to replace and possibly upgrade what Diggs brought to the table.
The WR2 spot was upgraded, too, with Romeo Doubs also joining in free agency.
Tasked with stepping into Chaisson's shoes is Dre'Mont Jones, who agreed to a three-year, $39.5 million contract in March.
He is fresh off a career-high seven sacks in 2025 and is far superior against the run than his predecessor.
GM Eliot Wolf also spent a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas in an attempt to solidify the group long-term.
Hawkins' replacement is veteran safety Kevin Byard, who, while not possessing the same upside, is still playing at a high level and brings excellent leadership qualities to the locker room.
Arguably, the Patriots' most glaring offseason priority was upgrading the offensive line.
Wolf also addressed that need, bringing in guard Alijah Vera-Tucker before spending a first-round pick on Utah tackle Caleb Lomu.
Verdict: Will the Patriots win the AFC East?
DAZN's Jason Abbey weighs in
With no disrespect to the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, it's a two-horse race between the Patriots and Bills to win the AFC East.
Josh Allen and D.J. Moore may have something to say about Te'o's take, but after a solid draft and free agency, Mike Vrabel will fancy his chances of repeating as AFC East winners.
Quarterback Drake Maye established himself among the NFL elite last year and has an upgraded receiving corps and offensive line at his disposal.
Defensively, Milton Williams and Christian Gonzalez are among the premier players at their respective positions, and the new additions mean New England has enough talent to push Buffalo hard.
If it's as close as we expect, the head-to-head matchups could be the deciding factor, making the October 4 and December 6 contests between the two sides all the more exciting.
