Every matchup counts from here on in, with several huge results in week 14 that may determine postseason berths come the end of the year.
A 42-year Aaron Rodgers dealt a big setback to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, whereas Josh Allen virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence presented a significant problem and could have finished the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever before in the Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Division Deciders Exceed the Expectations
A trio of critical division clashes delivered.
Seasoned quarterback Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, guided his team to a hard-fought close success in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer notched his initial running score in almost three seasons, but it was his long passes to his top wideout that proved to be the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of kilter as his team missed crucial chances—though they were frustrated by a late score being nullified. The two franchises are scheduled to face off once more on the final weekend of the regular season.
Elsewhere, the oldest rivalry in the NFL saw a classic encounter. Despite touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defense had to halt another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting young quarterback in the freezing conditions.
The result handed one side a narrow advantage in their NFC North, whereas the losers dropped from the conference's number one seed all the way to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Awry for the Chiefs?
Statistical models assign the Chiefs only a 15% probability of making the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the initial missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a ten years.
In his 7 complete years as a starter, he has reached 7 AFC Championship contests and five championship games. That means the team has competed in nearly every possible contest throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are clear and were encapsulated during the recent loss. Absences ravaged an already dodgy offensive line, with several starters missing.
Even then, Mahomes gave his team a chance, but failed field goals and critical drops—including on a decisive fourth down play—sealed their downfall.
In Focus: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Destined for the West?
A pair of top teams from the West Coast divisions are building strong arguments for Super Bowl favorites.
One team, leading their the AFC, claimed the last title held at February's stadium. They are built on a dominant defense that tops the NFL in sacks and wins through methodical, time-consuming possessions.
The other contender, leading the other conference, showcased an high-powered offence capable of scoring from any situation. They feature a two-headed running attack to pair with an elite aerial game.
A key matchup would be whether the potent offence could withstand the relentless pass rush of the elite defense—what would be a fascinating potential matchup.
Talking Point: Travis Kelce Pondering Calling It Quits?
Among the fallout from the Chiefs' loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end fueled talk about a possible departure.
Hearing Mahomes state, "each season... I try to appreciate since you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the option to do what he wants to do following this campaign," he continued. Should the year concludes early for the Chiefs, the three-time Super Bowl veteran could choose to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen did it all once more for Buffalo in a snowy victory. Allen passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another, responsible for a remarkable portion of his team's total touchdowns this season.
He is the only quarterback in league annals with three thousand pass yards, 20 touchdown throws and 10 running scores in 3 consecutive seasons.
Next, he puts the Bills on his back again as they try to chase down their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, that's exactly who they play next.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs
This Week's Statistical Highlights
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
- A prolific receiver caught two touchdowns and remains on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant defensive end notched his twentieth QB sack of the season, closing in of the single-season record.
- An international placekicker helped his team in a upset win in rainy conditions.
- A offense that was shutout one week bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the next.
- A reeling team watched its franchise quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to leave the contest again with a similar injury.
