Big-game results didn't reveal much that wasn't obvious over the first 10 weeks of the NFL season

A loaded NFL schedule produced results that didn’t reveal much that wasn’t already known.

These are not the same Kansas City Chiefs who’ve owned the AFC West for nine seasons. Their struggles over the first nine games showed up again in a 22-19 loss at Denver.

The Buffalo Bills will go as far as Josh Allen takes them — as usual. His six touchdowns made up for two picks in a 44-32 win over Tampa Bay.

The Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks are even teams with two of the best defenses in the NFL. The Rams took a one-game lead over Seattle in the NFC West after holding on for a 21-19 victory when Jason Myers missed a 61-yard field goal try as time expired.

The reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are still the team to beat in the NFC, even if their offense is underachieving. Vic Fangio’s defense has been dominant against dynamic offenses, including a 16-9 victory over the Lions.

Detroit is going to live and die with coach Dan Campbell’s aggressive play-calling. When it works, the Lions are unstoppable. When it doesn’t, they have a tough time.

Kansas City’s reign of dominance in the division is over. The Chiefs (5-5) will have to battle just to make the playoffs and they have a tough matchup next week against the Indianapolis Colts (8-2). A poor offensive line isn’t helping Patrick Mahomes, who threw one costly interception in field-goal range after a pick-6 was negated by a penalty. The offense isn’t making enough plays to win one-score games, going 0-5 this season. Still, the Chiefs will be considered a dangerous team in the playoffs, if they get in. They won twice on the road on their way to a second consecutive Super Bowl title two years ago.

Meanwhile, the Broncos (9-2) have won eight straight games but still look beatable. Six of those wins have been by four points or fewer, including five fourth-quarter comebacks. Denver’s last three wins have come by a three-point margin. The Broncos beat the Giants by one and the Jets by two. Bo Nix is making big plays in the fourth quarter and a dominant defense keeps the team in games. But it’s going to be hard to sustain success with an inconsistent offense that has to rally each week.

The Bills (7-3) are chasing the New England Patriots (9-2) in the AFC East. But they can beat anyone when Allen plays the way he did against Tampa Bay. The reigning NFL MVP overcame a poor interception on the first drive to finish with 317 yards passing with three TDs in the air and three TDs rushing. Buffalo has a tougher schedule than New England with upcoming road games against Houston (5-5) on Thursday night and Pittsburgh (6-4) on Nov. 30. But like the Chiefs, the Bills are a team nobody wants to face in January.

The Buccaneers (6-4) still look like a team that’s good enough to win a weak NFC South but won’t go anywhere in the playoffs. Their defense has been a problem against top teams since 2021.

Sam Darnold struggled in another big game, throwing four interceptions. His fantastic turnaround season in Minnesota last year ended with clunkers in back-to-back important games.

However, Seattle’s defense kept the team in the game and Darnold drove the Seahawks (7-3) into position for what would’ve been a remarkable comeback victory if Myers could’ve hit the long field goal. He has to play better start to finish in playoff-type games.

The Rams (8-2) couldn’t do anything on offense in this battle between two of the league’s best defenses. The defense baffled Darnold and two of the four picks turned into touchdowns on drives of 3 yards and 25 yards.

The teams will meet again on Thursday night in Week 16 in a matchup that will likely determine the division winner.

Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown still can’t get going but the Eagles relied on an elite defense to fluster Jared Goff and the Lions. After surrendering just one score to Green Bay in a 10-7 win on Monday night, they held Detroit to three field goals.

The Eagles (8-2) are the NFC’s No. 1 seed and keep finding ways to win games. They’ll need more production from the offense to have a chance to repeat but the defense has been getting better each week since shutting down Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

Detroit was 0-for-5 on fourth down, including a fake punt. The Lions (6-4) fell one game behind the surging Chicago Bears in the NFC North. But the Lions are more talented. The two teams meet in Chicago in Week 18.

Eleven weeks into the season, it's a wide-open race in both conferences.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips celebrates after an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix celebrates following an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) reacts after being sacked during the second half an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

SOUTHPORT, England (AP) — Bryson DeChambeau was given a two-shot penalty after his second round at the British Open on Friday that dropped the American star out of the final group and raised doubts about whether he shows up on the weekend at Royal Birkdale.

In a dramatic late-evening development after a 4-under 66, DeChambeau was taken back out to the fifth hole for a rules review. Footage taken during his round showed him stomping around in high grass to the right of the fairway trying to figure out his shot 72 yards out from the hole.

DeChambeau was seen in a lengthy, heated exchange with rules officials — at one point, he waved his arms and pointed in clear frustration — before being driven back to the scoring tent, where he was followed by officials including R&A chief executive Mark Darbon.

The verdict then came in: DeChambeau was deemed to have inadvertently improved the area of his intended swing by tamping down a section of grass behind the ball that might have affected his backswing on the shot.

His bogey 5 on the No. 5 was turned into a triple-bogey 7 and the two-shot penalty turned his score to a 68, leaving him three shots behind, tied for fifth place.

DeChambeau left for the range, saying only, “Are you guys having a good night?” as he walked past dozens of reporters, and stopped to sign an autograph before hitting balls in twilight.

His agent, Brett Falkoff, was asked if the two-time U.S. Open champion would play Saturday and he replied: “We’ll see.”

It is proving an action-packed trip to Royal Birkdale for DeChambeau, who was accused by Nick Faldo of having “zero clue of strategy” when the three-time Open champion spoke on the Sky Sports Golf podcast ahead of the tournament.

After shooting 67 in the first round, DeChambeau skipped media, though later agreed to take a few questions from the R&A.

His answers were pointed. “I feel like I did a really good job today of being incredibly strategic," he said, before later adding: "I feel like my strategy was nice today.”

DeChambeau — one of the most high-profile players in golf — left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in 2022 and still plays on the breakaway circuit, while continuing to produce videos on his YouTube channel that has 2.77 million subscribers.

He draws attention more than pretty much any golfer, as Friday proved.

At issue for DeChambeau was whether he violated Rule 8 that governs the intended swing.

“An improvement means to alter one or more of the conditions affecting the stroke so that the player gains a potential advantage for the stroke," Grant Moir, the R&A's executive director for governance, told reporters.

“The player," Moir continued, “must take the least intrusive course of action to deal with the particular situation and is not entitled to a normal stance or swing.”

Moir said this applied “even when the action is accidental, as it was in Bryson’s case.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Bryson DeChambeau of the United States, right shakes hands with Scottie Scheffler of the United States after they completed their second rounds on the 18th green during the second day of the British Open Golf championships at Royal Birkdale golf club, in Southport, England, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Bryson DeChambeau of the United States taps hands with spectators as he walks to the 9th tee during the second day of the British Open Golf championships at Royal Birkdale golf club, in Southport, England, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Bryson DeChambeau of the United States acknowledges the crowd after making a birdie putt to conclude his second round on the 18th green during the second day of the British Open Golf championships at Royal Birkdale golf club, in Southport, England, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Bryson DeChambeau of the United States plays from an awkward lie to the 5th green during the second day of the British Open Golf championships at Royal Birkdale golf club, in Southport, England, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Bryson DeChambeau of the United States walks off the 9th tee during the second day of the British Open Golf championships at Royal Birkdale golf club, in Southport, England, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/David Goldman)