Every contest is crucial from here on in, with a number of huge results in the fourteenth week that might settle postseason positions by the end of the season.
A 42-year Aaron Rodgers dealt a major blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason hopes, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. At the same time, the Houston defence presented a massive challenge and could have ended the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever before in the Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Divisional Showdowns Exceed the Hype
Three critical rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Seasoned signal-caller Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, led his squad to a tough 27-22 victory in on the road. The future Hall of Famer notched his first running touchdown in almost three seasons, but it was his long passes to his star wideout that proved to be the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed off rhythm as Baltimore missed key opportunities—although they were angry by a late score being nullified. These teams will meet again on the last weekend of the season.
Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the league saw a thrilling contest. Despite touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defensive unit had to halt another late-game rally from the visiting rookie QB in the frigid conditions.
This outcome handed one side a slender advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team plummeted from the conference's number one seed all the way to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Statistical models assign the Kansas City only a fifteen percent chance of making the postseason. Realistically, this could be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.
In Mahomes' seven complete seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven conference championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. This indicates the team has played almost every available game throughout his time.
Therefore, the reasons for the current struggles are evident and were encapsulated during Sunday's loss. Absences ravaged an already questionable O-line, with multiple key players out.
Despite that, Mahomes provided his team a fighting chance, however failed kicks and critical dropped passes—including on a pivotal fourth down attempt—sealed their fate.
In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Destined for the West?
A pair of top contenders from the western conferences are making strong cases for Super Bowl contention.
One team, leading their conference, won the last Super Bowl played at February's stadium. They are constructed on a dominant defence that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, long drives.
The other contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an high-powered offence capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a formidable ground attack to pair with an exceptional aerial game.
The question could be whether the high-flying offence could withstand the smothering pressure of the top defense—what would be a must-watch playoff showdown.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement?
Among the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate sparked talk about a possible retirement.
Hearing Mahomes say, "every year... 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.
"The tight end will have the choice to do what he chooses to do after this campaign," he continued. Should the season concludes prematurely for the Chiefs, the three-time champion veteran could choose to retire.
Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show again for Buffalo in a wintry win. He threw 3 scores and ran for another, accounting for a staggering percentage of his team's total touchdowns this year.
Allen is the first player in NFL annals with 3,000 pass yards, 20 touchdown passes and 10 running scores in three straight campaigns.
Now, he tries to carry the Bills on his shoulders again as they aim to catch their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, that's exactly who they face next.
Key Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Statistical Highlights
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
- A star wide receiver scored 2 scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
- A feared pass rusher recorded his 20th sack of the season, closing in of the all-time record.
- An international kicker helped his squad in a surprise win in rainy weather.
- A team that was shutout one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A reeling team watched its star QB come back from injury, only to leave the contest again with a related ailment.
