Every matchup is crucial from here on in, with several massive conclusions in week 14 that might determine play-off spots by the end of the year.
A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers struck a major setback to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, while Josh Allen virtually finished the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defense posed a huge problem and may have ended the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Anticipation
Three critical division clashes lived up to the hype.
Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, guided his team to a tough close win in on the road. The future Hall of Famer notched his first running touchdown in almost three years, but it was his long passes to his top wideout that proved to be the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback was out of kilter as Baltimore missed crucial chances—though they were angry by a fourth-quarter touchdown being nullified. The two franchises are scheduled to face off again on the last day of the season.
In another, the oldest rivalry in the league saw a epic encounter. Despite scoring deep passes, an worn-out defense had to stop another late-game rally from the visiting rookie quarterback in the freezing conditions.
This outcome handed one side a narrow advantage in their division, while the defeated team fell from the conference's number one seed down to seventh.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections give the Kansas City only a 15% probability of making the play-offs. In all likelihood, this could be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a ten years.
In Mahomes' 7 complete seasons as a starter, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship games and 5 Super Bowls. That indicates the team has played almost every available contest throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are clear and were encapsulated during the recent loss. Absences decimated an already dodgy offensive line, with several starters missing.
Even then, Mahomes gave his squad a chance, but failed field goals and crucial dropped passes—such as on a pivotal fourth down attempt—sealed their fate.
Spotlight: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Destined for the West?
A pair of powerhouse contenders from the western divisions are making compelling arguments for Super Bowl contention.
One squad, atop their conference, won the last title held at February's venue. They are built on a dominant defence that tops the NFL in sacks and victories through grinding, long drives.
The second contender, leading the other conference, showcased an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a formidable ground game to pair with an elite aerial game.
The question would be if the high-flying offense can withstand the relentless pass rush of the top defense—a a must-watch potential matchup.
Discussion: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement?
Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from the quarterback about his longtime teammate fueled speculation about a potential retirement.
Hearing Mahomes state, "every season... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely sounded like he was preparing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.
"He will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do after this season," he continued. If the season concludes early for the Chiefs, the three-time Super Bowl winner could decide to retire.
Preview: Bills vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate
The Bills' quarterback did it all again for his team in a snowy victory. He threw 3 touchdowns and rushed for one more, responsible for a staggering portion of his team's overall touchdowns this season.
He is the only quarterback in NFL annals with 3,000 pass yards, twenty TD passes and 10 running touchdowns in 3 straight campaigns.
Now, he puts the team on his back again as they try to catch their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, they are precisely who they play next.
Major Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Packers @ Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one team.
- A prolific receiver scored 2 scores and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant defensive end recorded his twentieth sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time mark.
- An overseas kicker helped his team in a upset win in rainy conditions.
- A offense that was held scoreless one game responded with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A struggling franchise watched its franchise QB come back from an elbow issue, only to leave the game once more with a similar injury.
