Thanks - this contains the data that I was referencing earlier:
2001-2017 Pats winning % by division:
AFCS .820
NFCS .773
AFCN .762
AFCE .741
NFCW .737
NFCN .727
NFCE .700
AFCW .660
Winning % by division from 2001-2017, when taking out the Pats, and taking out the first place team from every other division each year:
AFCE .457
NFCE .451
NFCS .439
AFCN .425
AFCS .422
AFCW .420
NFCN .417
NFCW .401
So the AFC East has actually been the best division in football from this perspective over the last 17 years.
I generally agree with this viewpoint, but when people say the AFCE sucks, it can be taken in one of two ways:
1. MIA/NYJ/BUF are always terrible and the Pats fatten up on 5-6 divisional wins against inferior competition each year.
2. MIA/NYJ/BUF are always mediocre and the Pats never have serious competition for the division lead.
The former is pretty clearly not true, but the latter requires a closer look. The division rivals rarely bottom out, but in 17 years, none of them has won as many as 12 games, and only hit 11 wins 4 times in 51 tries. Compared to the other divisions, that stands out:
AFCN - 3 teams have hit 12+ wins, 4 teams finished in 2nd with 11+ wins.
AFCS - All 4 teams have hit 12+ wins, 5 teams finished in 2nd with 11+ wins.
AFCW - All 4 teams have hit 12+ wins, 3 teams finished in 2nd with 11+ wins.
NFCE - 3 teams have hit 12+ wins, 2 teams finished in 2nd with 11+ wins.
NFCN - 3 teams have 12+ wins, 3 teams finished in 2nd with 11+ wins.
NFCS - All 4 teams have hit 12+ wins, 5 teams finished in 2nd with 11+ wins.
NFCW - All 4 teams have hit 12+ wins, 4 different teams finished in 2nd with 11+ wins.
MIA/NYJ/BUF seem to be all be good for 5-10 wins each year. Good enough to not bottom out and roll over, but not good enough to provide a serious challenge to the Pats for the division lead unless NE stumbles. 32 teams in the NFL and all but 6 of them have won 12+ games at least once since 2001, and 3 of those 6 are in the AFCE. Give the Pats some credit for that (hard to get to 12 wins when you have to play a juggernaut twice a year), but there's a kernel of truth in the people bitching about the Pats always having a clear path to the division title.