Quick observations and notes around the New England Patriots and the NFL:

1. A moment with real stakes

The Patriots can clinch the AFC East title with a win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), making this the franchise’s most consequential home game in years.

Comparable moments include Jan. 1, 2023, when New England beat Miami to keep faint playoff hopes alive; Jan. 2, 2022, when a rout of Jacksonville secured a postseason berth during Mac Jones’ rookie season; and Jan. 4, 2020, when a wild-card loss to the Titans marked Tom Brady’s final game with the team.

Many would argue that Brady’s farewell remains the benchmark — and that only underscores how significant Sunday feels. Five difficult years have followed, and the Patriots’ 2025 resurgence under Mike Vrabel brings the narrative full circle, with Vrabel now leading the team on the same sideline where Brady’s era ended.

“This is a great stage that we’ve put ourselves on,” Vrabel said.

From the start of training camp, Vrabel made winning the division the team’s primary objective.

“He said it on Day 1: ‘Win the division,’” quarterback Drake Maye recalled. “A lot of teams say it, but to actually be here with a chance to do it is pretty special.”

Doing so against the reigning division champions only heightens the moment.

“They’ve owned the division for five years,” Maye said. “That’s something we have to go take.”

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs echoed that sentiment, noting the rarity of games that truly matter late in the season.

“This one feels different,” Diggs said. “You’re playing for something.”

Veteran linebacker Anfernee Jennings emphasized balance — embracing the moment without letting it disrupt preparation.

“It’s important, but we can’t make it bigger than it is,” Jennings said. “We have to execute like we always do.”

2. A Hall of Fame connection

Outside linebacker Harold Landry III spoke Friday with CBS analyst J.J. Watt as part of the network’s production meetings. Landry called the experience “surreal,” recalling how Watt once dominated game plans when Landry entered the league.

Vrabel, who coached Watt in Houston, said hearing feedback from former players reinforces the team’s progress.

3. Rapid chemistry

Diggs admitted the Patriots have come together faster than he anticipated.

“I’ve been on a lot of teams,” he said. “This one clicked quickly.”

4. Diggs stays team-first

Despite back-to-back games under 30 receiving yards — a rare drought for him — Diggs remains focused on the collective effort.

“It’s seven dogs and one bone,” he said. “Everybody wants it, but this group is unselfish.”

5. Elliss’ rise

Linebacker Christian Elliss continues to emerge, highlighted by a tone-setting hit in Week 13. Coaches praise his weekly improvement, leadership on special teams and growing confidence within the defense.

6. Run defense under scrutiny

After ranking among the league’s best early in the season, New England’s run defense has slipped since Week 10. Injuries, including Milton Williams landing on IR, have played a role — a concern with Buffalo’s potent rushing attack looming.

7. McDaniels on his receivers

Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels recently described Diggs as a “bulldog” and praised Mack Hollins as one of the most unselfish teammates he’s coached.

8. Henderson closing in on history

Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson has topped 50 rushing yards in six straight games. One more would place him alongside Corey Dillon as the only Patriots to reach that mark in seven consecutive contests.

9. TV scheduling shuffle

The Patriots’ Dec. 28 game against the Jets was moved from CBS to Fox to accommodate New York market coverage after league scheduling adjustments — a reminder of the complex chess match behind NFL broadcast decisions.