Every contest counts from here on in, with a number of massive conclusions in week 14 that may determine play-off berths come the end of the season.
A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers dealt a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason aspirations, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually finished Joe Burrow's chances. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense posed a massive challenge and may have ended the Chiefs' campaign earlier than ever in the Patrick Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Anticipation
A trio of massive rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Seasoned quarterback Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, guided his team to a tough 27-22 victory in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer scored his initial running touchdown in almost three years, but it was his deep throws to his star wideout that proved to be the difference.
Lamar Jackson seemed off rhythm as his team failed to capitalize on crucial chances—though they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter score being overturned. The two franchises are scheduled to face off again on the final weekend of the season.
In another, the oldest feud in the league saw a classic encounter. Despite scoring bombs, an exhausted defense had to halt another fourth-quarter comeback from the visiting young quarterback in the frigid weather.
The result gave one side a slender advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team plummeted from the NFC's top spot down to seventh.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent chance of reaching the play-offs. In all likelihood, this could be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.
In Mahomes' 7 complete years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven conference championship games and five Super Bowls. That means the club has competed in nearly each possible game throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the reasons for the current struggles are apparent and were summed up during the recent defeat. Absences decimated an already dodgy offensive line, with several starters missing.
Despite that, Mahomes provided his squad a chance, but failed kicks and critical drops—including on a decisive fourth-down attempt—sealed their fate.
Spotlight: Is the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?
Two top contenders from the western conferences are building compelling cases for championship contention.
One squad, leading their conference, claimed the most recent Super Bowl held at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defense that leads the NFL in sacks and victories through methodical, long drives.
The other contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a formidable ground attack to complement an elite passing game.
The question could be whether the potent offence can withstand the smothering pass rush of the elite defensive unit—a a must-watch playoff matchup.
Talking Point: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits?
Among the fallout from the Chiefs' defeat, remarks from the quarterback about his star teammate fueled talk about a possible retirement.
Listening to Mahomes say, "every year... I try to appreciate since you never know" certainly sounded like the QB was bracing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the choice to do what he wants to do after this campaign," he continued. Should the year ends prematurely for the team, the three-time champion winner might decide to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15
The Bills' quarterback put on a show once more for his team in a snowy victory. Allen passed for three scores and ran for one more, accounting for a remarkable percentage of his offense's overall touchdowns this season.
Allen is the only player in NFL history with 3,000 passing yards, twenty touchdown throws and ten running scores in 3 consecutive seasons.
Now, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders again as they try to chase down their division rivals, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they face this coming Sunday.
Major Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs
Week 14 Statistical Highlights
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the year—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
- A star wide receiver scored two touchdowns and remains on course for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
- A dominant defensive end notched his twentieth QB sack of the campaign, closing in of the single-season mark.
- An international kicker helped his team in a surprise victory in soggy weather.
- A team that was held scoreless one week bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A reeling team saw its star quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to leave the contest once more with a related ailment.
