Every contest matters from here on in, with several massive results in the fourteenth week that could decide play-off spots by the end of the year.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a big blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston defence posed a massive problem and could have concluded the Chiefs' season earlier than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.
Divisional Analysis: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Hype
A trio of huge division clashes did not disappoint.
Seasoned signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, led his squad to a gritty close victory in on the road. The future Hall of Famer scored his initial rushing touchdown in nearly three seasons, however it was his deep passes to his top receiver that made the deciding factor.
Lamar Jackson was out of sync as his team missed key chances—though they were angry by a fourth-quarter touchdown being overturned. The two franchises will meet again on the final day of the regular season.
Elsewhere, the oldest feud in the NFL saw a epic encounter. Despite touchdown bombs, an worn-out defensive unit had to thwart another fourth-quarter rally from the opposing young QB in the freezing conditions.
The result gave one side a narrow advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team dropped from the NFC's top spot down to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Statistical models assign the Kansas City only a 15% probability of making the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the first missed post-season for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.
During his seven full seasons as a starter, he has reached 7 conference championship contests and five Super Bowls. That indicates the team has competed in almost every available game during his tenure.
So, the reasons for the current failure are apparent and were encapsulated during Sunday's loss. Injuries decimated an already struggling offensive line, with multiple starters missing.
Even then, the quarterback gave his team a fighting chance, but missed field goals and costly drops—including on a key fourth down attempt—confirmed their downfall.
Spotlight: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the Western US?
A pair of top contenders from the western divisions are building strong arguments for Super Bowl contention.
One team, atop their conference, claimed the last title held at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defence that leads the NFL in quarterback takedowns and wins through grinding, time-consuming drives.
The second team, atop the NFC, demonstrated an dynamic offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a two-headed ground game to complement an elite aerial attack.
The question could be whether the potent offense can withstand the smothering pressure of the elite defense—what would be a must-watch potential showdown.
Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Calling It Quits?
Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate fueled rumors about a possible retirement.
Listening to him say, "each season... I try to cherish because you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was preparing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.
"He will have the option to do what he chooses to do after this campaign," he added. Should the year ends early for the team, the three-time Super Bowl winner could choose to walk away.
Preview: Bills vs. Patriots Highlights the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen did it all again for Buffalo in a wintry victory. He threw 3 scores and rushed for another, responsible for a remarkable percentage of his offense's total touchdowns this year.
Allen is the first quarterback in league history with 3,000 passing yards, twenty TD passes and 10 running scores in three straight seasons.
Next, he puts the Bills on his shoulders once more as they try to catch their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are exactly who they play this coming Sunday.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Buffalo Bills @ Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Statistical Highlights
- A kickoff runback for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the year—kick-started a scoring blitz for one team.
- A prolific receiver scored 2 scores and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A dominant pass rusher notched his 20th sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time record.
- An international kicker played a key role for his team in a surprise win in soggy weather.
- A team that was shutout one game bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A struggling franchise watched its franchise quarterback come back from injury, only to exit the game once more with a related ailment.
