Every game matters from here on in, with a number of massive results in the fourteenth week that might decide postseason berths come the end of the campaign.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a major blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off aspirations, while Josh Allen virtually terminated Joe Burrow's hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence posed a huge challenge and could have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever in the Mahomes tenure.
Divisional Analysis: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Anticipation
A trio of critical divisional battles did not disappoint.
Veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, guided his squad to a gritty close win in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer notched his first rushing score in almost three seasons, but it was his deep throws to his top receiver that proved to be the deciding factor.
The Ravens' quarterback was out of kilter as Baltimore missed key chances—though they were angry by a late touchdown being nullified. These teams will meet once more on the final weekend of the season.
In another, the longest-running rivalry in the league saw a thrilling encounter. Even with scoring deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to halt another late-game comeback from the opposing young quarterback in the freezing conditions.
This outcome handed one team a slender advantage in their division, while the losers plummeted from the NFC's number one seed all the way to outside the playoff picture.
Analysis: What Has Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections give the Kansas City only a 15% probability of reaching the play-offs. Realistically, this will be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a decade.
During his seven complete seasons as a starting quarterback, he has reached 7 conference championship contests and 5 championship games. That means the team has competed in nearly every possible game throughout his time.
So, the reasons for the current struggles are apparent and were encapsulated during Sunday's loss. Absences decimated an already struggling O-line, with several starters out.
Despite that, Mahomes provided his squad a fighting chance, but failed field goals and critical drops—including on a pivotal fourth-down play—sealed their fate.
Spotlight: Could the Super Bowl Be Destined for the Western US?
A pair of powerhouse teams from the West Coast divisions are making compelling arguments for Super Bowl contention.
One squad, atop their the AFC, won the most recent title held at February's venue. They are built on a dominant defense that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through grinding, long drives.
The second contender, atop the other conference, demonstrated an explosive offense capable of scoring from anywhere. They boast a two-headed ground attack to complement an elite aerial game.
A key matchup could be if the high-flying offense could withstand the smothering pressure of the elite defense—a a must-watch playoff showdown.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement?
Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime tight end fueled speculation about a potential departure.
Listening to Mahomes say, "each season... I try to cherish because you never know" definitely sounded like he was preparing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the option to do what he chooses to do following this season," Mahomes added. Should the year concludes prematurely for the Chiefs, the three-time champion veteran might decide to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen did it all once more for Buffalo in a snowy win. He passed for 3 scores and rushed for another, accounting for a remarkable portion of his team's overall scores this year.
Allen is the only quarterback in league history with three thousand passing yards, twenty TD throws and ten rushing touchdowns in three consecutive campaigns.
Next, he tries to carry the team on his back once more as they aim to chase down their division foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are exactly who they face next.
Key Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off return for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
- A prolific receiver caught two scores and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A feared defensive end recorded his twentieth QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
- An international kicker helped his team in a upset victory in soggy conditions.
- 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 injury, only to leave the game once more with a related injury.
