Each game counts from here on in, with some enormous results in the fourteenth week that may settle postseason positions come the end of the year.
A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers dealt a big setback to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off aspirations, whereas Josh Allen all-but finished the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defense presented a massive challenge and may have finished the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Exceed the Expectations
A trio of massive divisional battles lived up to the hype.
Veteran quarterback Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, led his team to a gritty close victory in on the road. The future Hall of Famer recorded his initial running score in nearly three years, but it was his deep passes to his top wideout that made the deciding factor.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of kilter as his team failed to capitalize on crucial chances—though they were angry by a fourth-quarter score being chalked off. The two teams will meet once more on the last weekend of the season.
In another, the oldest rivalry in the league saw a classic contest. Even with scoring deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to thwart another late-game comeback from the opposing young quarterback in the frigid conditions.
This result gave one side a narrow advantage in their NFC North, whereas the losers plummeted from the conference's number one seed all the way to seventh.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Projections assign the Chiefs only a 15% probability of reaching the play-offs. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a decade.
In his 7 complete seasons as a starter, he has reached 7 conference championship games and five Super Bowls. That indicates the team has competed in nearly each possible contest during his time.
Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are apparent and were encapsulated during Sunday's loss. Absences decimated an already dodgy O-line, with multiple key players missing.
Despite that, Mahomes provided his squad a chance, but failed field goals and crucial drops—such as on a decisive fourth down play—confirmed their fate.
Spotlight: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the Western US?
Two powerhouse teams from the western divisions are building strong cases for championship contention.
One team, atop their the AFC, claimed the most recent title played at February's stadium. They are constructed on a dominant defense that leads the NFL in sacks and wins through methodical, long drives.
The second contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offence capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They boast a two-headed ground game to pair with an elite passing game.
The question could be if the potent offence could handle the smothering pass rush of the top defense—a a must-watch playoff matchup.
Talking Point: Travis Kelce Considering Calling It Quits?
Amid the fallout from the Chiefs' loss, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate fueled talk about a possible departure.
Listening to Mahomes say, "each season... I try to cherish because you never know" definitely seemed like he was bracing for the veteran to call it a day.
"The tight end will have the option to do what he wants to do following this season," Mahomes continued. Should the year ends prematurely for the team, the three-time Super Bowl winner might choose to walk away.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights Week 15
The Bills' quarterback did it all again for Buffalo in a snowy victory. He passed for 3 touchdowns and ran for another, responsible for a staggering percentage of his team's overall scores this year.
Allen is the first player in NFL annals with three thousand passing yards, 20 TD passes and 10 running scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.
Now, he tries to carry the team on his back once more as they try to chase down their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they play next.
Major Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs
Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff return for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one offense.
- A star wide receiver caught 2 scores and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A dominant pass rusher notched his twentieth QB sack of the season, closing in of the single-season mark.
- An international kicker helped his squad in a upset win in soggy conditions.
- A team that was shutout one week responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
- A reeling team saw its franchise quarterback come back from injury, only to leave the game once more with a similar ailment.
