Every game counts at this stage, with some massive outcomes in week 14 that could determine play-off berths come the end of the season.
A 42-year veteran quarterback struck a major blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defence presented a huge challenge and could have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs season earlier than ever in the Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Division Deciders Exceed the Anticipation
Three massive division clashes did not disappoint.
Seasoned signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a tough 27-22 win in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer scored his first running touchdown in almost three years, but it was his deep passes to his top wideout that made the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of kilter as Baltimore failed to capitalize on crucial chances—though they were left fuming by a late score being nullified. These franchises are scheduled to face off again on the last day of the regular season.
Elsewhere, the oldest feud in the NFL saw a epic encounter. Despite touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to halt another late-game comeback from the opposing rookie quarterback in the frigid weather.
The result gave one team a narrow advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team plummeted from the NFC's number one seed down to seventh.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Projections assign the Kansas City only a 15% chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the first missed post-season for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade.
During his 7 full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven conference championship games and five championship games. This indicates the team has played almost every possible contest during his tenure.
So, the reasons for this year's failure are apparent and were summed up during Sunday's loss. Absences ravaged an already struggling O-line, with multiple starters missing.
Even then, Mahomes provided his squad a fighting chance, but missed kicks and crucial drops—including on a decisive fourth-down play—sealed their downfall.
In Focus: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?
A pair of top contenders from the western conferences are building strong cases for championship favorites.
One squad, atop their conference, won the last title played at February's venue. They are built on a dominant defense that leads the league in sacks and wins through grinding, time-consuming possessions.
The second contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an dynamic offense capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a formidable ground game to pair with an elite passing game.
A key matchup could be if the high-flying offence could solve the smothering pass rush of the top defensive unit—a a fascinating playoff matchup.
Discussion: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement?
Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from the quarterback about his star teammate fueled talk about a possible retirement.
Hearing Mahomes state, "every year... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely seemed like the QB was preparing for the veteran to call it a day.
"The tight end will have the option to do what he chooses to do after this season," Mahomes continued. Should the year concludes prematurely for the Chiefs, the 3x champion winner might choose to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights Week 15
The Bills' quarterback put on a show again for Buffalo in a wintry win. He passed for three scores and rushed for another, responsible for a remarkable percentage of his offense's overall scores this year.
Allen is the only quarterback in NFL annals with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD throws and 10 rushing touchdowns in 3 consecutive seasons.
Now, he puts the team on his back again as they aim to chase down their division foes, the Patriots—and, that's exactly who they play this coming Sunday.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Chargers @ Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest play of the year—sparked a scoring blitz for one offense.
- A prolific receiver scored two scores and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
- A feared defensive end notched his 20th QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
- An overseas kicker played a key role for his squad in a upset win in soggy weather.
- A team that was shutout one game bounced back with a shutout of its own the next.
- A reeling franchise saw its franchise QB return from injury, only to exit the contest again with a similar injury.
