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New England Patriots will secure a first-round bye with win this week

The New England Patriots took care of business last Saturday by defeating the Buffalo Bills 24-17, and in the process, clinched the AFC East division for the 11th straight year and the 17th total season during the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick era.

Usually by this point in the season the New England Patriots have already claimed their playoff spot, and the final two games of the season against their division rivals are typically meaningless affairs… but not this year.

The Patriots needed to defeat the Bills and their top-ranked defense to clinch the AFC East.