Every contest matters from here on in, with a number of huge results in week 14 that could decide postseason positions by the end of the season.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback dealt a big setback to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, whereas Josh Allen all-but ended Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defense posed a huge challenge and could have finished the Chiefs' campaign earlier than ever before in the Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Division Deciders Exceed the Anticipation
Three critical rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Seasoned signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, guided his squad to a hard-fought 27-22 win in on the road. He notched his first running score in nearly three seasons, however it was his deep passes to his top wideout that proved to be the deciding factor.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed off rhythm as Baltimore missed key opportunities—though they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter touchdown being chalked off. The two teams will meet once more on the final day of the season.
In another, the longest-running rivalry in the league saw a epic encounter. Despite scoring deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to halt another late-game rally from the visiting young quarterback in the frigid conditions.
This result gave one side a narrow lead in their NFC North, while the defeated team fell from the NFC's top spot all the way to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Statistical models give the Kansas City only a 15% probability of making the postseason. Realistically, this will be the first missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.
During his 7 complete seasons as a starting quarterback, he has reached 7 conference championship contests and 5 championship games. That means the team has played nearly each possible contest throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the reasons for this year's failure are clear and were highlighted during the recent defeat. Absences decimated an already struggling O-line, with multiple key players missing.
Despite that, the quarterback provided his team a fighting chance, however failed kicks and critical drops—including on a pivotal fourth-down attempt—sealed their fate.
Spotlight: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Destined for the West?
Two powerhouse teams from the western conferences are making compelling arguments for Super Bowl contention.
One team, atop their conference, won the last Super Bowl played at February's venue. They are built on a stifling defence that leads the NFL in sacks and victories through methodical, time-consuming possessions.
The other team, leading the NFC, showcased an explosive offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a two-headed running attack to pair with an exceptional aerial attack.
The question could be whether the high-flying offence could solve the smothering pressure of the top defensive unit—a a must-watch potential showdown.
Discussion: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement?
Among the aftermath from the Chiefs' defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end fueled talk about a possible retirement.
Listening to Mahomes 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.
"He will have the choice to do what he wants to do after this campaign," Mahomes continued. If the year concludes prematurely for the Chiefs, the three-time champion veteran could choose to walk away.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show once more for Buffalo in a snowy victory. Allen passed for three scores and ran for one more, accounting for a staggering percentage of his offense's total touchdowns this year.
Allen is the only quarterback in NFL annals with three thousand passing yards, 20 TD passes and 10 rushing scores in 3 straight campaigns.
Now, he tries to carry the team on his back again as they try to chase down their division rivals, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they play next.
Major Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- 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 touchdown—the longest scoring play of the year—kick-started a scoring blitz for one offense.
- A star receiver scored 2 touchdowns and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant pass rusher notched his twentieth QB sack of the campaign, closing in of the single-season record.
- An overseas placekicker helped his team in a upset win in soggy conditions.
- A team that was held scoreless one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A struggling franchise watched its franchise QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest again with a similar ailment.
