Every game counts from here on in, with several massive conclusions in week 14 that may determine postseason spots come the conclusion of the campaign.
A 42-year Aaron Rodgers struck a significant blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but finished the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defense posed a huge problem and could have ended the Kansas City Chiefs season earlier than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Anticipation
A trio of huge rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Veteran quarterback Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a gritty close success in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer scored his first running touchdown in nearly three seasons, but it was his deep throws to his star receiver that made the deciding factor.
The Ravens' quarterback was off rhythm as his team missed crucial opportunities—though they were angry by a late touchdown being overturned. The two teams will meet once more on the final day of the regular season.
Elsewhere, the oldest feud in the NFL saw a classic contest. Even with touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to thwart another late-game rally from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing weather.
The outcome gave one team a narrow advantage in their division, whereas the losers plummeted from the conference's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Awry for the Chiefs?
Projections assign the Chiefs only a 15% probability of reaching the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the first missed playoffs for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.
During his 7 complete seasons as a starter, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. This indicates the club has played nearly every possible game during his tenure.
So, the reasons for the current struggles are apparent and were highlighted during the recent loss. Absences ravaged an already questionable O-line, with several starters out.
Despite that, the quarterback gave his squad a fighting chance, however missed field goals and crucial dropped passes—including on a decisive fourth down play—sealed their fate.
In Focus: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Destined for the West?
A pair of top contenders from the western conferences are making compelling cases for championship favorites.
One squad, leading their the AFC, claimed the last Super Bowl played at February's venue. They are built on a dominant defense that leads the NFL in quarterback takedowns and wins through grinding, long drives.
The other contender, atop the NFC, showcased an explosive offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a two-headed ground game to pair with an elite aerial game.
A key matchup would be if the high-flying offence could handle the relentless pressure of the top defensive unit—a a must-watch potential matchup.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement?
Among the aftermath from the Chiefs' loss, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate sparked rumors about a potential retirement.
Hearing Mahomes say, "each year... I try to cherish since you never know" certainly sounded like he was preparing for the veteran to call it a day.
"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he wants to do following this campaign," he continued. If the season ends prematurely for the team, the three-time champion winner might choose to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines Week 15
The Bills' quarterback did it all once more for Buffalo in a wintry win. Allen threw 3 touchdowns and rushed for one more, accounting for a staggering percentage of his team's overall touchdowns this season.
He is the only player in league history with 3,000 pass yards, 20 touchdown passes and ten running touchdowns in three straight seasons.
Now, he puts the Bills on his back again as they aim to chase down their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—and, that's precisely who they play this coming Sunday.
Major Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Packers @ Broncos
- Chargers @ Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the biggest scoring play of the year—sparked a second-half onslaught for one team.
- A prolific wide receiver scored 2 touchdowns and is still on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A dominant pass rusher recorded his 20th QB sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
- An overseas kicker played a key role for his team in a upset victory in soggy conditions.
- A offense that was shutout one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
- A struggling team watched its franchise QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the game once more with a related ailment.
