Every contest matters from here on in, with a number of huge conclusions in week 14 that may settle postseason spots come the end of the year.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback struck a major setback to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason aspirations, whereas Josh Allen all-but finished Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defence posed a huge challenge and could have finished the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Exceed the Hype
Three critical divisional battles delivered.
Seasoned quarterback Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, led his team to a hard-fought 27-22 win in on the road. The future Hall of Famer recorded his first rushing touchdown in almost three years, but it was his long throws to his top wideout that proved to be the deciding factor.
The Ravens' quarterback was out of kilter as his team failed to capitalize on crucial opportunities—though they were frustrated by a late touchdown being chalked off. The two franchises are scheduled to face off once more on the final day of the season.
In another, the oldest rivalry in the NFL witnessed a thrilling encounter. Despite touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to thwart another fourth-quarter comeback from the opposing young quarterback in the freezing weather.
This result handed one side a narrow advantage in their division, while the defeated team fell from the conference's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Projections give the Chiefs only a 15% chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the first missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a ten years.
During Mahomes' 7 complete seasons as a starter, he has reached 7 AFC Championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. That indicates the team has played nearly every available contest during his tenure.
Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are evident and were summed up during the recent defeat. Injuries ravaged an already struggling O-line, with multiple key players out.
Even then, Mahomes gave his team a fighting chance, however failed field goals and crucial drops—including on a key fourth down attempt—confirmed their fate.
Spotlight: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the Western US?
Two powerhouse teams from the western divisions are building strong arguments for Super Bowl contention.
One squad, leading their the AFC, won the most recent title played at this year's venue. They are built on a dominant defence that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, time-consuming possessions.
The other team, leading the NFC, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of scoring from anywhere. They boast a two-headed running attack to complement an elite aerial attack.
The question could be whether the high-flying offence could solve the relentless pass rush of the elite defensive unit—what would be a fascinating potential matchup.
Talking Point: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement?
Amid the aftermath from the Chiefs' loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end fueled rumors about a potential departure.
Listening to Mahomes say, "each year... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly sounded like he was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the option to do what he wants to do after this campaign," Mahomes added. Should the season ends early for the Chiefs, the 3x Super Bowl veteran could choose to walk away.
Preview: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15
Josh Allen did it all again for his team in a snowy victory. He threw three touchdowns and rushed for another, accounting for a staggering percentage of his offense's total touchdowns this season.
Allen is the only player in NFL history with three thousand passing yards, twenty touchdown throws and 10 rushing touchdowns in three consecutive campaigns.
Now, he puts the Bills on his shoulders once more as they try to catch their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, they are precisely who they play this coming Sunday.
Major Week 15 Games:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs
Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the season—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense.
- A prolific receiver caught 2 scores and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant defensive end notched his 20th QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time record.
- An overseas placekicker played a key role for his squad in a upset win in rainy conditions.
- A team that was shutout one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A struggling team saw its star quarterback come back from injury, only to leave the game again with a related injury.
