Each game matters at this stage, with some massive outcomes in week 14 that might decide postseason spots by the end of the season.
A 42-year veteran quarterback landed a significant blow to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but finished the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defence posed a huge problem and could have finished the Kansas City Chiefs season earlier than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Division Deciders Live Up To the Hype
Three massive rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, guided his squad to a tough close victory in on the road. He scored his first running touchdown in nearly three years, but it was his deep throws to his star receiver that made the deciding factor.
The Ravens' quarterback was out of sync as his team failed to capitalize on key opportunities—though they were left fuming by a late touchdown being nullified. The two franchises are scheduled to face off again on the last day of the season.
In another, the oldest feud in the NFL witnessed a epic encounter. Even with scoring deep passes, an worn-out defense had to halt another fourth-quarter comeback from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing conditions.
The result gave one team a narrow advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team fell from the NFC's number one seed all the way to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Projections give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent chance of reaching the play-offs. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.
In his seven full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven conference championship games and 5 Super Bowls. This means the club has played nearly each possible contest throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are evident and were highlighted during the recent defeat. Injuries ravaged an already struggling O-line, with multiple key players out.
Even then, Mahomes provided his squad a chance, however failed kicks and costly drops—such as on a key fourth down play—sealed their downfall.
In Focus: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the Western US?
Two powerhouse teams from the western divisions are building strong cases for Super Bowl favorites.
One team, leading their conference, won the last Super Bowl played at February's venue. They are built on a dominant defence that leads the NFL in sacks and wins through methodical, time-consuming drives.
The second team, atop the other conference, demonstrated an high-powered offence capable of scoring from anywhere. They boast a two-headed ground attack to pair with an exceptional passing game.
The question could be whether the high-flying offence can solve the smothering pass rush of the elite defensive unit—a a fascinating playoff matchup.
Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement?
Amid the fallout from the Chiefs' defeat, comments from the quarterback about his star teammate sparked talk about a potential departure.
Hearing him say, "each season... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.
"He will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do following this season," he added. Should the year concludes prematurely for the team, the 3x Super Bowl winner could decide to retire.
Looking Ahead: Bills vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15
The Bills' quarterback put on a show again for Buffalo in a wintry win. He threw 3 touchdowns and ran for another, accounting for a remarkable portion of his team's overall touchdowns this year.
Allen is the first player in league annals with 3,000 passing yards, twenty TD throws and ten rushing scores in three consecutive seasons.
Now, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders once more as they try to catch their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—and, they are exactly who they face next.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14 Statistical Highlights
- A kickoff runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest scoring play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one team.
- A prolific wide receiver scored 2 scores and is still on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A feared defensive end notched his twentieth sack of the campaign, closing in of the single-season mark.
- An international kicker played a key role for his team in a upset win in soggy conditions.
- A team that was held scoreless one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A struggling franchise saw its star QB come back from injury, only to exit the game once more with a related ailment.
