Every game counts from here on in, with several huge results in week 14 that might decide postseason berths by the conclusion of the campaign.
A 42-year Aaron Rodgers landed a big setback to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but finished Joe Burrow's hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense presented a huge challenge and may have finished the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Hype
A trio of critical divisional battles lived up to the hype.
Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, led his team to a gritty close success in on the road. The future Hall of Famer notched his first rushing score in almost three years, however it was his long passes to his top wideout that made the difference.
Lamar Jackson was out of sync as his team failed to capitalize on crucial opportunities—although they were angry by a late touchdown being nullified. The two franchises will meet once more on the last day of the regular season.
Elsewhere, the oldest rivalry in the league witnessed a thrilling encounter. Despite scoring bombs, an exhausted defensive unit had to halt another fourth-quarter comeback from the visiting rookie quarterback in the frigid conditions.
The result handed one side a narrow lead in their NFC North, while the losers plummeted from the NFC's number one seed all the way to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: 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 could be the first missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.
In his seven complete years as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven AFC Championship games and 5 Super Bowls. This indicates the team has played almost each available contest throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the causes for the current failure are apparent and were highlighted during the recent loss. Injuries ravaged an already questionable offensive line, with several key players missing.
Even then, the quarterback provided his team a chance, but failed kicks and costly dropped passes—including on a pivotal fourth down play—confirmed their fate.
Spotlight: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?
Two powerhouse teams from the western conferences are making compelling cases for Super Bowl favorites.
One team, atop their the AFC, claimed the last title played at this year's venue. They are constructed on a stifling defence that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through grinding, long possessions.
The second contender, leading the other conference, demonstrated an dynamic offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a two-headed running attack to pair with an elite passing attack.
A key matchup could be if the potent offense could solve the smothering pass rush of the elite defensive unit—a a fascinating playoff showdown.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Retirement?
Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from the quarterback about his longtime teammate fueled speculation about a possible retirement.
Hearing him say, "each season... I try to appreciate because you never know" certainly sounded like he was preparing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.
"He will have the choice to do what he wants to do after this season," he added. If the season concludes prematurely for the team, the three-time Super Bowl winner might decide to retire.
Looking Ahead: Bills vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show once more for his team in a wintry win. Allen passed for 3 scores and rushed for one more, accounting for a remarkable portion of his offense's total touchdowns this season.
He is the first player in league history with 3,000 pass yards, 20 touchdown passes and ten rushing touchdowns in three consecutive campaigns.
Next, he tries to carry the team on his back once more as they try to catch their division rivals, the Patriots—and, that's exactly who they face next.
Key Week 15 Matchups:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs
Week 14 Statistical Highlights
- A kick-off return for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest scoring play of the year—kick-started a scoring blitz for one team.
- A prolific receiver scored two touchdowns and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant defensive end notched his 20th QB sack of the campaign, closing in of the all-time mark.
- An overseas placekicker played a key role for his team in a surprise win in rainy weather.
- A offense that was shutout one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A struggling team saw its franchise QB return from an elbow issue, only to exit the game once more with a related injury.
