🔗 Share this article

Every contest counts at this stage, with some massive results in week 14 that might determine postseason berths come the conclusion of the campaign.

A 42-year veteran quarterback landed a big blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason hopes, while Josh Allen all-but terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defence presented a huge problem and may have finished the Chiefs' season earlier than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Division Deciders Exceed the Hype

A trio of critical division clashes delivered.

Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, led his team to a tough close win in on the road. The future Hall of Famer recorded his first running score in nearly three seasons, however it was his deep throws to his star wideout that made the deciding factor.

Lamar Jackson was out of kilter as his team failed to capitalize on crucial opportunities—though they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter touchdown being chalked off. The two teams are scheduled to face off again on the last day of the regular season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running rivalry in the NFL saw a thrilling contest. Despite scoring deep passes, an worn-out defense had to stop another fourth-quarter comeback from the visiting rookie quarterback in the freezing weather.

This outcome gave one team a slender lead in their NFC North, while the defeated team dropped from the conference's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.

In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?

Statistical models give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent chance of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this could be the first missed post-season for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade.

In Mahomes' 7 full years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship games and 5 championship games. That indicates the club has competed in almost each available game throughout his tenure.

So, the causes for the current failure are clear and were summed up during Sunday's defeat. Injuries ravaged an already dodgy offensive line, with several starters out.

Even then, the quarterback gave his team a chance, but failed field goals and crucial drops—including on a decisive fourth down play—sealed their fate.

In Focus: Is the Super Bowl Be Destined for the West?

Two top contenders from the West Coast divisions are building compelling cases for championship contention.

One team, leading their conference, won the most recent Super Bowl held at this year's venue. They are built on a dominant defence that leads the NFL in sacks and victories through grinding, time-consuming drives.

The other contender, leading the other conference, demonstrated an explosive offense capable of scoring from any situation. They feature a two-headed running attack to pair with an elite aerial game.

The question would be whether the potent offence can solve the relentless pass rush of the top defensive unit—what would be a fascinating playoff showdown.

Talking Point: Travis Kelce Considering Calling It Quits?

Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate sparked speculation about a potential retirement.

Hearing Mahomes state, "every season... I try to cherish because 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 chooses to do following this season," he continued. Should the year ends prematurely for the team, the 3x champion veteran might choose to retire.

Preview: Bills vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate

Josh Allen put on a show once more for his team in a wintry victory. He threw 3 touchdowns and rushed for one more, responsible for a remarkable percentage of his offense's overall scores this season.

He is the only quarterback in NFL history with 3,000 pass yards, twenty touchdown throws and 10 rushing scores in 3 consecutive seasons.

Next, he puts the team on his back once more as they try to catch their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are precisely who they play next.

Key Week 15 Games:

• Bills @ Patriots
• Detroit Lions @ Rams
• Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
• Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
• A prolific receiver scored 2 touchdowns and remains tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
• A dominant defensive end 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 weather.
• A team that was held scoreless one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
• A struggling team saw its star QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest once more with a similar injury.