Every game counts down the stretch, with a number of enormous outcomes in week 14 that could decide postseason spots by the end of the campaign.
A 42-year veteran quarterback dealt a significant setback to Lamar Jackson's postseason hopes, while Josh Allen all-but ended the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defence posed a significant problem and may have finished the Chiefs' campaign earlier than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Exceed the Hype
A trio of massive divisional battles did not disappoint.
Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, guided his team to a tough close success in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer recorded his initial rushing score in almost three years, but it was his long passes to his star receiver that proved to be the deciding factor.
Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as his team missed crucial chances—although they were angry by a late touchdown being nullified. The two teams will meet once more on the final day of the regular season.
In another, the longest-running feud in the league saw a thrilling contest. Even with scoring deep passes, an worn-out defense had to stop another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing weather.
This result gave one side a narrow advantage in their division, whereas the defeated team plummeted from the conference's top spot all the way to seventh.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent chance of making the play-offs. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed playoffs for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade.
In his 7 full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 conference championship contests and five championship games. This indicates the team has competed in nearly each available contest throughout his tenure.
So, the reasons for the current failure are evident and were encapsulated during the recent defeat. Injuries decimated an already questionable O-line, with several starters missing.
Despite that, the quarterback gave his squad a fighting chance, however failed field goals and costly dropped passes—including on a pivotal fourth down attempt—confirmed their downfall.
In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?
A pair of powerhouse contenders from the West Coast conferences are making compelling cases for Super Bowl favorites.
One squad, atop their the AFC, won the last Super Bowl held at February's venue. They are constructed on a stifling defence that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, long possessions.
The other contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offence capable of scoring from any situation. They feature a two-headed running game to pair with an exceptional aerial attack.
A key matchup would be if the high-flying offence could withstand the smothering pressure of the top defense—what would be a must-watch playoff matchup.
Talking Point: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits?
Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's loss, comments from the quarterback about his longtime tight end fueled talk about a possible departure.
Listening to Mahomes say, "every season... I try to appreciate because you never know" certainly 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. If the year concludes prematurely for the team, the three-time champion veteran could decide to retire.
Preview: Bills vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show again for his team in a snowy victory. Allen passed for 3 touchdowns and rushed for another, responsible for a staggering percentage of his offense's total touchdowns this year.
Allen is the only quarterback in league history with 3,000 passing yards, 20 TD passes and ten rushing touchdowns in three consecutive seasons.
Next, he puts the team on his back once more as they try to chase down their AFC East foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are exactly who they face next.
Key Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest scoring play of the year—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one team.
- A prolific wide receiver scored two scores and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A feared pass rusher notched his 20th sack of the season, closing in of the all-time mark.
- An international placekicker helped his team in a upset win in rainy weather.
- A team that was held scoreless one week responded with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A reeling team watched its star QB return from an elbow issue, only to exit the game once more with a similar ailment.
