Every game counts at this stage, with several enormous conclusions in week 14 that could determine play-off positions come the conclusion of the year.
A 42-year Aaron Rodgers landed a big blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason aspirations, whereas Josh Allen all-but terminated Joe Burrow's chances. Meanwhile, the Houston defence presented a significant problem and could have finished the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever in the Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Division Deciders Exceed the Expectations
Three huge rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, guided his squad to a tough close victory in Baltimore. He scored his initial running touchdown in almost three years, however it was his long throws to his star receiver that made the difference.
Lamar Jackson seemed out of kilter as his team missed crucial opportunities—although they were angry by a late score being overturned. The two franchises are scheduled to face off once more on the final day of the season.
Elsewhere, the oldest rivalry in the league witnessed a thrilling encounter. Even with scoring bombs, an exhausted defensive unit had to halt another fourth-quarter comeback from the opposing rookie QB in the freezing weather.
The result handed one side a narrow advantage in their division, whereas the losers fell from the NFC's number one seed all the way to seventh.
Analysis: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Chiefs?
Projections give the Kansas City only a 15% chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a ten years.
During his seven full seasons as a starter, he has advanced to seven conference championship games and 5 championship games. That means the team has competed in almost each possible contest during his time.
So, the reasons for this year's failure are evident and were highlighted during the recent defeat. Injuries decimated an already questionable offensive line, with several key players out.
Even then, Mahomes gave his squad a chance, but failed field goals and crucial drops—including on a pivotal fourth down attempt—confirmed their fate.
Spotlight: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?
A pair of powerhouse contenders from the western conferences are making compelling cases for championship contention.
One team, leading their conference, won the most recent title held at February's venue. They are built on a stifling defence that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, long drives.
The second contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an high-powered offence capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a two-headed running game to pair with an elite passing attack.
A key matchup could be if the high-flying offence could solve the smothering pass rush of the top defensive unit—a a must-watch playoff matchup.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Retirement?
Among the aftermath from the Chiefs' loss, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end sparked talk about a possible departure.
Hearing him say, "every season... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was preparing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the option to do what he wants to do following this season," Mahomes continued. Should the season ends prematurely for the team, the three-time champion winner might choose to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen did it all again for Buffalo in a snowy win. He passed for three scores and ran for one more, accounting for a staggering portion of his offense's total scores this season.
He is the only quarterback in league history with 3,000 passing yards, 20 TD throws and 10 rushing touchdowns in 3 consecutive seasons.
Next, he puts the Bills on his back once more as they try to catch their division rivals, the Patriots—and, that's exactly who they play next.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Packers @ Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the year—sparked a second-half onslaught for one team.
- A prolific receiver scored two scores and remains on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A feared defensive end notched his twentieth sack of the campaign, closing in of the single-season record.
- An international kicker helped his team in a upset win in rainy weather.
- A team that was shutout one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A struggling team watched its franchise quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to leave the game once more with a similar injury.
