DENVER (AP) — Election Day has come and gone. So has the trade deadline. The autumn leaves are mostly on the ground. The days are shorter, the nights longer. And yet here we are watching sloppy football across the NFL.
Week 10 looked a lot like Week 1, or even the preseason tilts chock full of NFL wannabes who may have made the play but not the cut.
The slate started with a Thursday night snoozer in which both the reeling Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) and the surging Denver Broncos (8-2) had more penalties (11) than first downs (10). The Broncos prevailed 10-7 — the same score the Eagles beat the Packers on Monday night to wrap up the wacky week — despite going three-and-out eight times thanks to a bevy of bad throws, dropped passes and, yes, yellow flags.
On Sunday, the Chicago Bears, who are accustomed to playing in wet, windy weather, dropped six of Caleb Williams’ passes in their 24-20 comeback against the New York Giants that cost Brian Daboll his job.
And in their 27-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Minnesota Vikings were whistled for a whopping eight false starts — at home, where these things generally don’t happen.
Except that it’s the NFL in 2025: cockeyed, confusing and chaotic.
The Patriots are atop the AFC East this late in the year for the first time since Tom Brady was throwing darts and dunks to Gronk instead of arrows and flowers from the broadcast booth and Bill Belichick was steamrolling NFL opponents instead of getting crushed in college.
The Colts are chasing their first AFC South title since Andrew Luck was QB in 2014, and the Broncos are alone atop the AFC West for the first time since 2015 when they won their last Super Bowl title.
The Seahawks are tied with the Rams at 7-2 atop the NFC West. They haven’t won their division since 2020 before Russell Wilson was traded and benched in Denver, chased out of Pittsburgh and demoted in New York.
The Broncos have been flagged 101 times this season, second only to Jacksonville's 102. Both teams have 83 penalties against them that were accepted. Seventeen by Denver were declined and one was offsetting.
“Certainly, it's a point of emphasis,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.
Yet, the Broncos are tied with New England and Indianapolis at 8-2 for the best record in the league in this topsy-turvy season in which we're into November and the Kansas City Chiefs, winners of nine straight AFC West crowns, five of the last six AFC championships and three Super Bowls, are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.
The Vikings' eight false-start penalties against Baltimore were the most by a home team since the Buffalo Bills had nine against Cleveland on Oct. 11, 2009, according to Sportradar.
“Whatever was unearthed today needs to be corrected immediately,” coach Kevin O’Connell said after the Vikings’ eight false starts among 13 flags short circuited their comeback hopes against the Ravens
The eight false-start penalties also were the most in a game by any team since the Carolina Panthers at Seattle on Sept. 24, 2023, according to Sportradar.
Right tackle Brian O’Neill was flagged three times. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy and star receiver Justin Jefferson also were penalized. The quarterback and his offensive line struggled with snap counts, cadence and presnap adjustments, especially in the fourth quarter, when the Vikings had three false starts in the final 10 minutes.
Running back Aaron Jones said some Ravens defenders seized on the confusion by barking “Hut!” when McCarthy changed the play call or protection. Still, the friendly crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium should not have made it that problematic, he said.
“That’s what they get paid to do,” Jones said. “We’ve just got to lock in, especially when we’re playing at home.”
The Vikings, 14-3 in the regular season a year ago, fell to 4-5.
“It’s going to be tough to win games like that,” Jefferson said. “Go back to work and do the things that allow us to move forward, not backward.”
At five yards a pop.
With contributions from Associated Press Writer Brian Murphy in Minneapolis.
Behind the Call analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL during the season.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (33) appeals to the officials in the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
NEW YORK (AP) — Spain reaching the World Cup final is still something of a novelty, given this is just the second time the country has gotten this far. Rodri sees it as the culmination of years building to this point.
Winning the Nations League in 2023 and the European Championship in 2024 set the foundation for the success the team has achieved over the past several weeks. An even bigger challenge awaits against defending champion Argentina on Sunday, and Spain's captain wants his teammates to be more eager to win than scared to lose.
“We’ve been gradually growing,” Rodri said Friday. “We have to keep doing the same things we’re doing because it has been a process for all five years.”
Spain has only allowed one goal through its first seven games, including a 2-0 win over France in the semifinals. Since a stunning opening draw against Cape Verde, La Roja has outscored its opponents 13-1.
“Our goal when we got to this World Cup was to win the trophy, and we were convinced that we could achieve this,” Rodri said. “We’ve shown that this national team has been able to defeat great opponents.”
The path to the final included Mikel Merino breaking a tie and scoring late in the round of 16 and the quarterfinals. It has also including stifling defense and nine saves from goalkeeper Unai Simón.
But Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner as the best player in the world, bristled at the notion that Spain has just one defined brand and expressed a belief about handling any kind of style.
“I don’t think you’ve seen the same Spain across all the matches,” the 30-year-old midfielder said. “I think Sunday’s match will be quite different, as it will be a more physical one and we must be prepared. And I believe if we are known for something in this national team is that we know how to play different games based on the moment. So, we can adapt to having to defend, counterattacking, to attacking. We are a very complete team, and that is why we are here.”
Sixteen years removed from Spain winning the World Cup for the first time, Rodri thinks the determination of that group can be an inspiration. But he is far more focused on the individual and team development that has sparked this run to the final.
“We can even do it better,” Rodri said. “I think against France, we do one of the best games we ever done as a team. But against Argentina, I think we have to rise a level because they are the champions. And I’m really confident that we can do it.”
Lamine Yamal getting spotted at practice with his left thigh wrapped has caused plenty of concern about the 19-year-old budding star's status. Coach Luis de la Fuente downplayed those worries when asked repeatedly about Yamal, who took a hit to that thigh against France.
“Today he participated in the training with the other teammates, and he is fine,” de la Fuente said. “He is fine. He is in optimal condition.”
Yamal, who was photographed as a baby alongside Lionel Messi in 2007, is considered the potential heir apparent to the title as the best player in the world. This final could be a passing-of-the-torch moment, but Yamal's coach does not want his player thinking like that.
“Lamine has to be Lamine,” de la Fuente said. “Messi is and one-of-a-time-in-history player, and he’s an example, a role model for youth and younger players: his attitude, his behavior. At his age, he’s playing such a spectacular competition at the World Cup. I insist Lamine has to be Lamine Yamal himself, and the best way we can support him is by helping him be the person we know today because he has a great potential, a great future.”
The difficulty level, the threat of smoke in the air and the quality of the pitch are not bothering de la Fuente. Returning to New Jersey after doing a news conference and other media obligations in New York was very much on his mind Friday.
“I am nervous because we are going back by helicopter,” he said. “I’m serious. We got here by helicopter, and we have to take the helicopter to go back and that makes me really anxious. About everything else, I’m calm. I’m lucky enough to be in this situation, and I insist, we just want to enjoy this amazing moment.”
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente speaks to Spain's Lamine Yamal during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between France and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Spain's Rodri smiles during a news conference ahead of the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in New York, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Spain's Rodri (16) and Lamine Yamal (19) chat as they walk among sprinklers during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between France and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Spain's Rodri listens as head coach Luis de la Fuente speaks during a news conference ahead of the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in New York, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Spain's Rodri speaks during a news conference ahead of the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in New York, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
