Every game counts at this stage, with some massive conclusions in week 14 that might determine postseason spots come the end of the year.
A 42-year veteran quarterback dealt a big blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off aspirations, whereas Josh Allen virtually finished Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defense presented a huge problem and may have concluded the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever before in the Mahomes era.
Divisional Analysis: Divisional Showdowns Live Up To the Anticipation
A trio of huge division clashes did not disappoint.
Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a tough close success in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer recorded his initial rushing touchdown in nearly three years, but it was his deep throws to his star receiver that proved to be the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback was out of sync as Baltimore failed to capitalize on key chances—though they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter touchdown being chalked off. The two franchises are scheduled to face off again on the final weekend of the season.
In another, the longest-running feud in the NFL saw a epic encounter. Even with touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defense had to thwart another late-game comeback from the visiting young quarterback in the freezing weather.
This outcome gave one side a narrow lead in their NFC North, while the losers fell from the NFC's number one seed all the way to seventh.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Projections give the Chiefs only a 15% chance of reaching the postseason. Realistically, this will be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade.
In Mahomes' 7 complete years as a starter, he has advanced to 7 conference championship games and five Super Bowls. That means the club has played almost each possible game throughout his tenure.
So, the causes for this year's failure are apparent and were summed up during the recent defeat. Absences decimated an already struggling O-line, with several key players out.
Despite that, Mahomes provided his team a fighting chance, but failed field goals and critical dropped passes—such as on a pivotal fourth-down play—confirmed their fate.
In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?
A pair of top contenders from the West Coast conferences are building compelling arguments for championship contention.
One team, leading their conference, won the most recent title played at February's stadium. They are built on a dominant defence that leads the league in sacks and wins through methodical, long drives.
The other contender, leading the other conference, showcased an high-powered offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a formidable ground attack to pair with an exceptional passing game.
A key matchup would be whether the high-flying offense can handle the relentless pass rush of the elite defense—what would be a fascinating playoff matchup.
Talking Point: Travis Kelce Pondering Calling It Quits?
Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate sparked rumors about a potential retirement.
Hearing him say, "each season... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly seemed like he was preparing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.
"He will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do following this campaign," Mahomes continued. If the year ends early for the team, the 3x Super Bowl winner could choose to retire.
Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights Week 15
Josh Allen did it all once more for Buffalo in a wintry victory. Allen threw 3 scores and rushed for another, responsible for a staggering portion of his offense's total touchdowns this season.
He is the only quarterback in league history with three thousand pass yards, twenty touchdown throws and 10 running scores in three straight campaigns.
Next, he puts the team on his shoulders again as they try to catch their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—and, that's exactly who they play this coming Sunday.
Key Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Statistical Highlights
- 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 caught 2 touchdowns and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant defensive end notched his 20th QB sack of the campaign, closing in of the single-season mark.
- An overseas placekicker played a key role for his team in a upset victory in rainy conditions.
- A offense that was held scoreless one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A reeling franchise watched its star QB come back from injury, only to exit the contest once more with a related injury.
