Every matchup matters down the stretch, with a number of massive conclusions in week 14 that might determine postseason positions by the end of the year.
A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers dealt a significant setback to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off aspirations, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated Joe Burrow's chances. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence presented a massive challenge and could have concluded the Chiefs' campaign earlier than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Exceed the Expectations
A trio of huge division clashes lived up to the hype.
Seasoned signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, guided his squad to a gritty close victory in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer recorded his initial rushing touchdown in nearly three years, however it was his deep passes to his top receiver that proved to be the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed key chances—though they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter score being nullified. These franchises will meet once more on the last day of the regular season.
In another, the longest-running rivalry in the league saw a thrilling encounter. Even with touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to stop another late-game rally from the visiting rookie quarterback in the frigid conditions.
The result handed one side a narrow advantage in their division, while the losers dropped from the NFC's top spot all the way to seventh.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections give the Kansas City only a 15% probability of making the postseason. Realistically, this will be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a ten years.
In Mahomes' 7 complete seasons as a starter, he has advanced to 7 AFC Championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. This means the club has competed in almost every possible contest throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the reasons for this year's failure are clear and were encapsulated during Sunday's defeat. Injuries decimated an already questionable O-line, with several starters missing.
Despite that, the quarterback provided his team a chance, however missed field goals and costly dropped passes—including on a key fourth down play—confirmed their fate.
In Focus: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Destined for the West?
Two top teams from the western divisions are making strong arguments for Super Bowl favorites.
One team, leading their conference, won the most recent title played at this year's stadium. They are built on a dominant defense that tops the NFL in quarterback takedowns and wins through grinding, time-consuming possessions.
The other team, atop the other conference, demonstrated an explosive offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They boast a two-headed ground game to complement an elite passing attack.
The question would be whether the high-flying offence could solve the smothering pressure of the elite defensive unit—a a must-watch playoff matchup.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits?
Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from the quarterback about his star teammate sparked speculation about a possible departure.
Hearing him state, "each season... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.
"He will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do after this season," he added. Should the year concludes early for the Chiefs, the three-time champion veteran could choose to retire.
Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show again for his team in a snowy victory. Allen threw 3 touchdowns and rushed for another, responsible for a remarkable portion of his team's overall touchdowns this season.
Allen is the first quarterback in league history with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD throws and 10 running touchdowns in 3 straight campaigns.
Now, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders once more as they aim to catch their AFC East foes, the Patriots—and, that's precisely who they face this coming Sunday.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest scoring play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
- A star receiver scored two scores and remains tracking for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
- A feared pass rusher recorded his 20th sack of the season, closing in of the all-time record.
- An overseas kicker played a key role for his squad in a surprise win in rainy weather.
- A team that was held scoreless one game bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A reeling franchise saw its franchise QB come back from injury, only to exit the contest again with a related injury.
