Each contest counts from here on in, with some massive results in the fourteenth week that may settle play-off positions by the conclusion of the campaign.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback dealt a big blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually finished the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston defense posed a massive challenge and may have ended the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever in the Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Anticipation
A trio of critical rivalry games did not disappoint.
Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, steered his team to a hard-fought close win in on the road. He notched his initial rushing score in almost three years, but it was his deep passes to his top wideout that made the difference.
Lamar Jackson was out of kilter as his team missed key chances—though they were angry by a fourth-quarter touchdown being nullified. The two franchises are scheduled to face off again on the final weekend of the regular season.
In another, the oldest rivalry in the league witnessed a thrilling contest. Despite touchdown bombs, an exhausted defensive unit had to stop another fourth-quarter comeback from the opposing rookie QB in the frigid conditions.
This outcome gave one team a slender lead in their NFC North, whereas the defeated team plummeted from the NFC's top spot all the way to seventh.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Chiefs?
Statistical models assign the Chiefs only a fifteen percent probability of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a ten years.
In his 7 full years as a starter, he has advanced to 7 conference championship games and 5 Super Bowls. That means the team has competed in almost each possible contest throughout his time.
Therefore, the causes for the current struggles are evident and were summed up during the recent loss. Absences ravaged an already questionable offensive line, with several starters missing.
Despite that, the quarterback gave his squad a fighting chance, however missed kicks and crucial drops—including on a decisive fourth-down play—confirmed their downfall.
In Focus: Is the Super Bowl Be Destined for the Western US?
A pair of top contenders from the western divisions are building compelling cases for championship favorites.
One team, atop their the AFC, won the last title held at February's venue. They are built on a dominant defence that tops the league in sacks and victories through grinding, time-consuming drives.
The other contender, leading the other conference, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a two-headed ground attack to pair with an exceptional aerial attack.
The question could be if the potent offence could withstand the smothering pass rush of the elite defense—what would be a fascinating playoff matchup.
Talking Point: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement?
Amid the aftermath from the Chiefs' defeat, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate sparked rumors about a potential retirement.
Hearing Mahomes say, "each season... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely sounded like he was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"He will have the choice to do what he wants to do after this campaign," he continued. If the year ends prematurely for the Chiefs, the 3x champion winner might choose to retire.
Preview: Bills vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15
Josh Allen did it all again for Buffalo in a snowy victory. He threw three touchdowns and ran for one more, accounting for a staggering portion of his team's total scores this year.
Allen is the first quarterback in league history with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD passes and 10 running scores in three straight seasons.
Next, he puts the Bills on his shoulders once more as they aim to catch their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots—and, they are precisely who they play next.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest play of the year—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
- A prolific receiver caught 2 scores and remains on course for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
- A dominant defensive end notched his twentieth QB sack of the season, closing in of the single-season mark.
- An overseas placekicker played a key role for his team in a surprise victory in soggy conditions.
- A team that was shutout one week bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A reeling franchise watched its franchise QB return from injury, only to leave the contest once more with a related injury.
