Last Season: 12-4
First place, AFC East, lost in AFC Championship Game
Preseason power ranking: 3
After serving a four-game NFL suspension to open the season, Tom Brady returns as quarterback in Week 5, and the difference between him and the AFC East’s other three starting quarterbacks -- Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jets), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Tyrod Taylor (Bills) -- is extreme. With Brady as the one on-field constant, the Patriots have won 12 division titles since 2002 realignment, which is an NFL high.