Shortly after Tom Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, the New England Patriots were still favored to win the division. That has since changed, and the betting odds suggest there could be a new AFC East champion for the first time in 11 years.

The Buffalo Bills are now the AFC East favorites at multiple sportsbooks. Bovada gives Buffalo +120 odds to finish in first place in the 2020 NFL season. The Bills have +130 odds to win the division at DraftKings Sportsbook.

The Patriots are now +140 underdogs. The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets are long shots in the AFC East with no better than +700 odds.

New England has won the AFC East in 16 of the last 17 seasons. The team’s only misstep came in 2008 when Brady missed almost the entire year. The Patriots went 11-5 with Brady suffering a torn ACL in Week 1 and Matt Cassel making 15 starts. Miami also went 11-5 and won the division with the tiebreaker.

Bill Belichick has led New England to double-digit victories in 17 straight years.

Jarrett Stidham is expected to be the Patriots starting quarterback after attempting four passes as a rookie. New England declined to sign established starters like Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton. The team is unlikely to acquire Cam Newton.

Buffalo has earned a wild-card berth in two of the last three seasons. The Bills went 10-6 in 2019 and challenged the Patriots until Week 16 when New England clinched another division title with a 24-17 victory over Buffalo in Foxborough.

The NFL’s No.1 defense led the Patriots to a 12-4 record a season ago. The Bills were second in the league, allowing 16.2 points per game.

Josh Allen has a real chance to become the AFC East’s best quarterback in 2020. Buffalo’s quarterback improved greatly in his second season, throwing for 3,089 yards, 20 touchdowns, nine interceptions and an 85.3 passer rating. Allen ran for 510 yards and touchdowns.

The Bills began last season with +1100 odds to win the AFC East.

Josh Allen Buffalo Bills
Quarterback Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills throws a pass in the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at New Era Field on October 7, 2018 in Buffalo, New York. Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
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