Every game matters from here on in, with some huge results in the fourteenth week that could determine play-off positions by the end of the campaign.
A 42-year Aaron Rodgers struck a big blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason hopes, while Josh Allen virtually finished Joe Burrow's chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defense posed a massive challenge and could have ended the Chiefs' campaign earlier than ever in the Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Exceed the Anticipation
A trio of critical rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a tough 27-22 victory in Baltimore. He scored his initial running score in almost three years, however it was his deep throws to his star receiver that made the deciding factor.
Lamar Jackson was out of sync as his team missed crucial chances—though they were angry by a late score being overturned. The two franchises will meet once more on the last weekend of the regular season.
Elsewhere, the longest-running rivalry in the league saw a epic encounter. Even with touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defense had to halt another late-game rally from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing conditions.
This result handed one side a slender advantage in their NFC North, whereas the losers plummeted from the NFC's number one seed all the way to seventh.
Analysis: What Has Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent probability of making the play-offs. Realistically, this will be the first missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a ten years.
In his seven complete seasons as a starter, he has advanced to 7 AFC Championship contests and 5 championship games. This means the club has played nearly each available contest throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the causes for the current failure are clear and were highlighted during the recent loss. Injuries ravaged an already dodgy offensive line, with several starters out.
Despite that, Mahomes gave his team a chance, however missed kicks and costly drops—such as on a decisive fourth down attempt—confirmed their fate.
Spotlight: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?
A pair of top teams from the western divisions are building strong arguments for Super Bowl contention.
One squad, leading their conference, claimed the last Super Bowl played at February's venue. They are built on a dominant defense that tops the league in sacks and wins through grinding, long possessions.
The second team, leading the NFC, showcased an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a formidable running game to complement an exceptional passing game.
A key matchup could be if the high-flying offence can solve the smothering pass rush of the elite defense—a a must-watch playoff showdown.
Talking Point: A Star Tight End Pondering Calling It Quits?
Amid the aftermath from the Chiefs' loss, remarks from the quarterback about his longtime teammate fueled rumors about a possible retirement.
Hearing him say, "each year... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely sounded like he was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"He will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do following this season," he continued. Should the season concludes prematurely for the Chiefs, the three-time champion winner could choose to walk away.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines Week 15
Josh Allen put on a show once more for Buffalo in a wintry win. He passed for three scores and ran for one more, responsible for a staggering portion of his team's overall touchdowns this year.
Allen is the only player in league history with 3,000 pass yards, twenty TD throws and 10 rushing scores in three consecutive campaigns.
Now, he tries to carry the Bills on his shoulders once more as they try to catch their division foes, the New England Patriots—and, that's precisely who they play this coming Sunday.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Chargers @ Chiefs
This Week's Statistical Highlights
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the year—kick-started a scoring blitz for one team.
- A prolific receiver caught 2 scores and remains tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
- A feared defensive end recorded his 20th QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time record.
- An international placekicker played a key role for his team in a upset win in soggy weather.
- A offense that was held scoreless one game bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A struggling franchise watched its star quarterback return from injury, only to exit the contest again with a related ailment.
