Pats Clinch AFC East Title

The New England Patriots clinched the AFC East title even before they played the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

Buffalo's 36-14 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars meant New England has won the division for the fourth consecutive year. The Patriots are the fourth team since 1978 to clinch a division title during the weekend of their 11th game, joining the 1985 Chicago Bears, the '97 San Francisco 49ers, and the 2004 Eagles.

The Patriots entered Sunday night's game with a 10-0 record.

There is some bad news for the Patriots: They will have to forfeit their first-round draft choice as punishment for using a video camera to spy on opposing coaches on the sideline. In September, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fined coach Bill Belichick $500,000, docked the team $250,000 and took away a first-rounder if New England made the playoffs or a second- and third-rounders if they didn't.