Each contest is crucial down the stretch, with some enormous results in the fourteenth week that might decide postseason spots come the end of the year.
A 42-year veteran quarterback dealt a significant blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but finished the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence posed a massive problem and could have ended the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Exceed the Hype
Three massive division clashes delivered.
Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, guided his team to a tough close win in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer scored his initial running touchdown in almost three seasons, however it was his deep passes to his top wideout that proved to be the deciding factor.
Lamar Jackson seemed off rhythm as his team missed key chances—although they were left fuming by a late touchdown being overturned. The two teams will meet once more on the last day of the season.
Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the league saw a classic encounter. Even with scoring bombs, an exhausted defense had to halt another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing conditions.
The result handed one team a narrow 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: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections give the Chiefs only a 15% chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, this will be the initial missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a decade.
In his seven complete seasons as a starter, he has reached 7 conference championship contests and five Super Bowls. That means the team has played almost every possible game throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the causes for the current struggles are evident and were highlighted during Sunday's loss. Injuries ravaged an already struggling O-line, with multiple starters missing.
Despite that, Mahomes provided his team a fighting chance, however missed field goals and crucial dropped passes—such as on a key fourth down play—confirmed their downfall.
In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?
Two top teams from the West Coast conferences are making strong cases for Super Bowl favorites.
One squad, leading their the AFC, won the most recent Super Bowl played at this year's stadium. They are built on a dominant defense that leads the NFL in sacks and victories through grinding, time-consuming drives.
The other team, leading the other conference, showcased an explosive offense capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a formidable running attack to pair with an elite passing attack.
A key matchup could be whether the high-flying offence can handle the smothering pressure of the elite defense—a a must-watch playoff matchup.
Talking Point: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits?
Among the fallout from the Chiefs' defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate sparked talk about a potential retirement.
Listening to Mahomes say, "every year... I try to appreciate since you never know" certainly sounded like the QB was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do following this campaign," he continued. Should the season concludes early for the Chiefs, the three-time champion veteran might decide to walk away.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show again for Buffalo in a wintry victory. Allen threw 3 scores and rushed for another, responsible for a remarkable portion of his team's total touchdowns this season.
Allen is the only player in NFL annals with three thousand pass yards, twenty TD passes and ten running scores in 3 straight campaigns.
Now, he tries to carry the Bills on his back once more as they try to chase down their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots—and, they are exactly who they play this coming Sunday.
Key Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
- A star wide receiver caught 2 touchdowns and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
- A feared pass rusher recorded his 20th sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
- An international placekicker played a key role for his squad in a surprise win in soggy weather.
- A offense that was held scoreless one game responded with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A reeling franchise watched its franchise QB return from injury, only to exit the contest again with a related injury.
