Every matchup counts down the stretch, with some enormous conclusions in week 14 that might settle play-off berths come the conclusion of the season.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off hopes, while Josh Allen virtually ended Joe Burrow's hopes. At the same time, the Houston defence posed a massive problem and may have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever in the Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Divisional Showdowns Live Up To the Expectations
A trio of massive divisional battles did not disappoint.
Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, steered his team to a gritty close win in on the road. He notched his initial rushing touchdown in almost three seasons, however it was his long passes to his star wideout that proved to be the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed key chances—although they were angry by a late touchdown being overturned. These franchises will meet again on the final weekend of the season.
Elsewhere, the longest-running rivalry in the league witnessed a thrilling encounter. Even with touchdown bombs, an exhausted defensive unit had to halt another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting rookie quarterback in the frigid weather.
This result handed one side a narrow advantage in their NFC North, while the losers fell from the conference's number one seed down to seventh.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Projections give the Kansas City only a 15% probability of reaching the postseason. Realistically, this will be the first missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a decade.
In Mahomes' seven full years as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven AFC Championship contests and 5 championship games. That indicates the club has played almost each possible contest throughout his tenure.
So, the causes for this year's struggles are evident and were encapsulated during Sunday's defeat. Absences ravaged an already questionable O-line, with multiple key players out.
Despite that, the quarterback gave his squad a fighting chance, but missed kicks and crucial drops—including on a decisive fourth down play—sealed their fate.
In Focus: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the Western US?
A pair of top teams from the western divisions are making compelling cases for Super Bowl contention.
One team, leading their conference, won the last title played at this year's stadium. They are built on a stifling defence that leads the NFL in sacks and victories through grinding, long possessions.
The other contender, atop the other conference, showcased an dynamic offence capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a two-headed running game to pair with an elite passing game.
A key matchup would be if the high-flying offense can solve the smothering pressure of the top defensive unit—what would be a must-watch playoff showdown.
Talking Point: A Star Tight End Pondering Retirement?
Among the fallout from the Chiefs' defeat, remarks from the quarterback about his longtime teammate fueled rumors about a potential departure.
Hearing him say, "every year... I try to appreciate because you never know" certainly sounded like he was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the choice to do what he chooses to do after this season," Mahomes added. Should the year concludes early for the team, the 3x champion winner could choose to retire.
Preview: Bills vs. Patriots Highlights Week 15
Josh Allen did it all again for his team in a wintry win. Allen threw three touchdowns and ran for another, responsible for a remarkable portion of his team's total touchdowns this year.
Allen is the only quarterback in NFL history with three thousand passing yards, twenty TD passes and ten running scores in three straight seasons.
Next, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders once more as they try to catch their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots—and, they are precisely who they play next.
Major Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Buffalo Bills @ Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one team.
- A star receiver scored 2 scores and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A dominant pass rusher notched his twentieth QB sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the all-time mark.
- An international placekicker played a key role for his team in a surprise victory in rainy weather.
- A offense that was shutout one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A reeling franchise watched its franchise QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the game again with a similar injury.
