Every contest counts from here on in, with several massive conclusions in week 14 that may decide postseason positions by the end of the year.
A 42-year veteran quarterback landed a big setback to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, while Josh Allen virtually ended Joe Burrow's chances. At the same time, the Houston defence posed a significant problem and may have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs season earlier than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes era.
Divisional Analysis: Division Deciders Live Up To the Expectations
Three huge divisional battles lived up to the hype.
Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, guided his team to a tough close success in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer recorded his initial rushing score in nearly three seasons, but it was his long throws to his top wideout that proved to be the deciding factor.
Lamar Jackson seemed off rhythm as Baltimore missed key opportunities—though they were frustrated by a late touchdown being overturned. The two teams are scheduled to face off again on the final weekend of the season.
Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the NFL witnessed a thrilling encounter. Even with scoring bombs, an exhausted defense had to thwart another late-game rally from the visiting young quarterback in the freezing conditions.
The outcome handed one team a slender lead in their division, while the losers fell from the NFC's number one seed down to seventh.
Analysis: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections give the Chiefs only a 15% chance of reaching the play-offs. In all likelihood, this could be the first missed post-season for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a decade.
In his 7 full years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven conference championship contests and five championship games. That indicates the club has competed in nearly each possible contest throughout his time.
Therefore, the reasons for the current struggles are evident and were highlighted during Sunday's loss. Absences ravaged an already questionable offensive line, with multiple key players out.
Despite that, the quarterback provided his team a fighting chance, however missed kicks and crucial dropped passes—including on a decisive fourth down attempt—confirmed their downfall.
In Focus: Is the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?
Two top contenders from the West Coast divisions are making strong cases for championship favorites.
One squad, atop their conference, claimed the last Super Bowl held at this year's venue. They are built on a dominant defense that tops the NFL in sacks and wins through grinding, long drives.
The second team, leading the NFC, showcased an explosive offense capable of scoring from anywhere. They boast a two-headed ground game to pair with an elite passing attack.
The question could be if the high-flying offence could solve the relentless pass rush of the top defensive unit—a a fascinating playoff showdown.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Retirement?
Amid the aftermath from the Chiefs' defeat, comments from the quarterback about his longtime teammate fueled talk about a possible retirement.
Hearing him say, "each season... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely seemed like the QB was bracing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the option to do what he chooses to do following this season," Mahomes continued. Should the season ends early for the team, the 3x champion veteran might decide to retire.
Preview: Bills vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate
The Bills' quarterback put on a show once more for Buffalo in a snowy win. Allen passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another, accounting for a remarkable percentage of his offense's total scores this season.
Allen is the first player in league history with three thousand pass yards, 20 touchdown passes and 10 running touchdowns in three straight seasons.
Next, he tries to carry the team on his back once more as they aim to catch their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, they are precisely who they face next.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- 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 play of the year—sparked a scoring blitz for one offense.
- A prolific wide receiver caught two scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant defensive end notched his 20th sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the all-time mark.
- An international placekicker helped his team in a surprise win in soggy weather.
- A offense that was held scoreless one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A struggling franchise watched its franchise quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to leave the game again with a similar ailment.
