Every contest counts at this stage, with a number of massive conclusions in week 14 that could decide play-off spots by the conclusion of the campaign.
A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers landed a big setback to Lamar Jackson's play-off aspirations, while Josh Allen virtually finished the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defense presented a massive problem and may have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Exceed the Expectations
A trio of massive rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, led his team to a hard-fought close win in Baltimore. He notched his initial running touchdown in almost three seasons, but it was his deep passes to his star wideout that proved to be the difference.
Lamar Jackson was out of kilter as Baltimore missed crucial chances—though they were angry by a fourth-quarter score being chalked off. These teams will meet once more on the final day of the season.
In another, the oldest rivalry in the NFL saw a thrilling contest. Despite scoring bombs, an exhausted defense had to halt another late-game rally from the opposing young QB in the freezing weather.
This result handed one side a narrow lead in their division, whereas the defeated team dropped from the NFC's top spot down to seventh.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Statistical models give the Kansas City only a 15% chance of making the postseason. In all likelihood, this could be the initial missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a ten years.
During Mahomes' seven complete years as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven conference championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. That means the team has competed in nearly each possible contest during his time.
So, the reasons for this year's failure are evident and were summed up during Sunday's defeat. Absences decimated an already questionable O-line, with several starters missing.
Despite that, the quarterback gave his team a chance, but failed kicks and crucial dropped passes—including on a key fourth-down attempt—confirmed their downfall.
In Focus: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?
A pair of top teams from the western divisions are making compelling arguments for Super Bowl contention.
One squad, leading their the AFC, won the most recent Super Bowl held at February's venue. They are constructed on a dominant defence that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, time-consuming possessions.
The second team, leading the NFC, showcased an explosive offense capable of scoring from anywhere. They feature a two-headed running attack to complement an exceptional passing attack.
A key matchup would be if the potent offence could solve the smothering pass rush of the top defense—a a fascinating playoff matchup.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Calling It Quits?
Among the aftermath from the Chiefs' loss, remarks from the quarterback about his longtime tight end sparked rumors about a potential departure.
Listening to him state, "each season... I try to appreciate because you never know" certainly sounded like the QB was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do following this season," Mahomes added. Should the year ends early for the Chiefs, the three-time Super Bowl veteran might decide to walk away.
Preview: Bills vs. New England Highlights Week 15
Josh Allen did it all again for Buffalo in a wintry victory. Allen passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another, responsible for a remarkable percentage of his offense's total scores this year.
He is the only quarterback in league history with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD throws and ten running scores in 3 straight seasons.
Next, he puts the Bills on his shoulders once more as they aim to chase down their division foes, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, that's exactly who they play next.
Key Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Chargers @ Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
- A prolific wide receiver scored 2 touchdowns and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A feared defensive end notched his 20th QB sack of the campaign, closing in of the all-time record.
- An international kicker played a key role for his team in a upset victory in soggy conditions.
- A offense that was held scoreless one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A struggling team watched its star QB return from injury, only to leave the game again with a related injury.
