Some call it parity. Others consider it bad football.

No matter how it’s viewed, the NFL is providing plenty of close games, thrilling comebacks, big upsets and late-minute heroics. It keeps viewers entertained — or at least tuned in until the end.

kAmu:G6 H666D 92G6 762EFC65 2 H:??:?8 D4@C6 😕 E96 7:?2= EH@ >:?FE6D @7 C68F=2E:@? @C 😕 @G6CE:>6] %92E’D E96 >@DE E9C@F89 (66< d 😕 =628F6 9:DE@CJ] $6G6? E62>D 5:5 :E =2DE H66<[ :?4=F5:?8 %2>A2 q2J 7@C E96 7@FCE9 E:>6 2=C625J E9:D D62D@?] $:I E62>D @G6C42>6 5@F3=6\5:8:E 567:4:ED =2DE H66<] u@FC @7 E9@D6 E62>D EC2:=65 3J `c A@:?ED @C >@C6]k^Am

kAm“%96C6’D 2 =@E @7 A2C:EJ 😕 E9:D =628F6 C:89E ?@H[” qF442?66CD 4@249 %@55 q@H=6D D2:5[ ECJ:?8 E@ 6IA=2:? 2== E96 4@>6324A[ E96D6 7:CDE 7:G6 H666D 2D 72C 2D A6?2=E:6D 2?5 86EE:?8 6G6CJ3@5J @? E96 D2>6 A286 2?5 5@:?8 E9@D6 EJA6D @7 E9:?8D] w@A67F==J E92E 42=>D 5@H?[ 2?5 9@A67F==J H6 42? 5@ E96 C:89E E9:?8D 2?5 4FE 5@H? @? E96 >:DE2<6D 2?5 DEC6E49 E96 82>6D @FE 2 =:EE=6 3:E 2?5 ?@E H:? E96> 2E E96 6?5] xE’D 366? =:<6 E92E 2== @G6C E96 =628F6 2?5 J@F D66 :E 6G6CJ H66<]”k^Am

kAmq@H=6D :D?’E E96 7:CDE 4@249 E@ C676C E@ E96 7:CDE >@?E9 @7 E96 D62D@? 2D E96 AC6D62D@?] q:== q6=:49:4< FD65 E@ D2J :E @7E6?] }@H[ 6G6? >@C6 DE2CE6CD 2C6?’E A=2J:?8 😕 6I9:3:E:@? 82>6D[ @77D62D@? D6DD:@?D 92G6 564C62D65 2?5 E96C6 :D?’E >F49 9:EE:?8 😕 EC2:?:?8 42>A 6I46AE 7@C ;@:?E AC24E:46D]k^Am

kAm“%92E’D E9:D =628F6 C:89E ?@H] %96C6 😀 D@ >F49 A2C:EJ[” r9:67D 4@249 p?5J #6:5 D2:5 27E6C z2?D2D r:EJ 925 `b A6?2=E:6D 😕 2 b`\ag =@DD E@ y246?E:@?65 27E6C E96 82>6 E96 A6?2=E:6D[ EFC?@G6CD[ 2?5 D@ @?] *@F 42?’E 92G6 E9@D6j E96 82>6D 2C6 E@@ 4=@D6[ E@@ >F49 4@>A6E:E:@? — 6BF2= 4@>A6E:E:@?[ D@ J@F 92G6 E@ E2<6 42C6 @7 3FD:?6DD E96C6 2?5 :E’D >J C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ E@ >2<6 DFC6 E92E 😀 5@?6]”k^Am

kAmp== @7 E9@D6 724E@CD =625 E@ D=@AAJ[ >:DE2<6\7:==65[ A6?2=EJ\C:55=65 7@@E32== 82>6D] qFE :E 2=D@ >62?D E96C6 2C6?’E 2?J 5@>:?2?E E62>D[ 82>6D 2C6 E:89E6C 2?5 FAD6ED 2C6 >@C6 4@>>@?]k^Am

kAm“%9:D =628F6 😀 7F== @7 @?6\D4@C6 82>6D] xE’D E96 H2J :E’D 56D:8?65j E96C6’D 2 =@E @7 A2C:EJ[” q62CD 4@249 q6? y@9?D@? D2:5] “xE’D 7:G6 H66D] p?J 8:G6? $F?52Jj E92E’D 2 ECF6 >2?EC2] ]]] %96C6’D 2 >:==:@? H2JD J@F 42? H:? 82>6D 😕 E9:D =628F6] tG6? H2E49:?8 D@>6 @7 E96 82>6D @? $F?52J[ E96C6’D 2 =@E @7 325 7@@E32== DE:== 36:?8 A=2J65 62C=J 😕 E96 D62D@? 96C6] (6 ?66565 DA64:2= E62>D E@ 4@>6 @FE @? E@A =2DE H66<] (6 ?66565 5676?D6 E@ 4@>6 E9C@F89 H:E9 2== E9@D6 EFC?@G6CD @C 6=D6 H6 5@?’E 4@>6 @FE @? E@A] (6 ?66565 @776?D6 56DA:E6 9@H C@4

k9amp?@E96C FAD6Ek^9am

kAm(66< e <:4<65 @77 H:E9 2?@E96C DFCAC:D6 @FE4@>6 H96? E96 }6H *@C< v:2?ED C@FE65 E96 5676?5:?8 $FA6C q@H= 492>A:@? !9:=256=A9:2 t28=6D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^628=6D\8:2?ED\D4@C6\56hcedb5e55e5e5e6hg22_aga2h74chhQmbc\`fk^2m @? %9FCD52J ?:89E]k^Am

kAm%9:D @?6 H2D?’E 23@FE EFC?@G6CD 2?5 A6?2=E:6D 2?5 >:DE2<6D] %96 v:2?ED[ H9@ H6C6 f `^a\A@:?E F?56C5@8D[ D:>A=J @FEA=2J65 E96 t28=6D 😕 6G6CJ 7246E @7 E96 82>6]k^Am

kAm$@>69@H[ 2 E62> H:E9 y2=6? wFCED[ $2BF@? q2C<=6J[ p]y] qC@H?[ s6’@?E2 $>:E9[ s2==2D v@656CE 2?5 @?6 @7 E96 36DE @776?D:G6 =:?6D 😕 E96 }u{ 😀 DECF88=:?8 E@ 7:?5 4@?D:DE6?4J] %96J’G6 366? @FE @7 DJ?4 F?56C ?6H @776?D:G6 4@@C5:?2E@C z6G:? !2EF==@[ H9@ 😀 2=C625J 962C:?8 :?E6?D6 4C:E:4:D> 😕 !9:==J]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 2 c\_ DE2CE[ E96 t28=6D 92G6 =@DE EH@ 😕 2 C@H] %96 v:2?ED @A6?65 _\b 3FE 2C6 a\` D:?46 y2ID@? s2CE 3642>6 E96 DE2CE:?8 BF2CE6C324<]k^Am

kAmp?J 8:G6? $F?52J @C |@?52J @C %9FCD52J] xE’D ?@E ;FDE 2 4=:496] xE’D E96 ?6H }u{]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAm~? u@@E32== 2?2=JK6D E96 3:886DE E@A:4D 😕 E96 }u{ 7C@> H66< E@ H66<] u@C >@C6 ~? u@@E32== 2?2=JD:D[ 9625 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^@?\7@@E32==Qm96C6k^2m]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! }u{i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?7=Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?7=k^2mk^Am



Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.