Every game is crucial down the stretch, with a number of massive conclusions in the fourteenth week that may determine postseason spots come the end of the year.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback dealt a major blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason hopes, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. At the same time, the Houston defense presented a significant challenge and could have ended the Chiefs' season earlier than ever in the Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Divisional Showdowns Exceed the Expectations
A trio of massive rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, steered his team to a hard-fought close success in on the road. He scored his initial running score in nearly three seasons, however it was his long passes to his star receiver that made the difference.
Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as Baltimore failed to capitalize on crucial chances—though they were angry by a fourth-quarter touchdown being nullified. The two teams are scheduled to face off again on the last weekend of the season.
In another, the longest-running feud in the NFL saw a classic contest. Even with scoring deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to stop another late-game comeback from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing weather.
The outcome gave one team a slender advantage in their NFC North, while the losers fell from the conference's number one seed all the way to outside the playoff picture.
Analysis: What Has Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Statistical models give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent chance of making the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a decade.
In Mahomes' seven full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven conference championship contests and five Super Bowls. That means the club has competed in nearly each possible contest throughout his time.
So, the causes for this year's struggles are evident and were summed up during Sunday's loss. Injuries decimated an already questionable O-line, with several key players missing.
Despite that, the quarterback gave his team a fighting chance, however missed field goals and costly dropped passes—such as on a pivotal fourth-down play—sealed their downfall.
Spotlight: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Destined for the Western US?
Two top contenders from the western divisions are building strong arguments for Super Bowl contention.
One squad, atop their conference, won the most recent Super Bowl held at February's stadium. They are constructed on a dominant defense that tops the league in sacks and wins through methodical, long possessions.
The second team, leading the other conference, demonstrated an high-powered offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a formidable ground attack to complement an exceptional aerial game.
A key matchup could be if the potent offence can solve the relentless pass rush of the elite defensive unit—what would be a must-watch potential matchup.
Talking Point: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement?
Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate fueled talk about a potential retirement.
Hearing Mahomes say, "every season... I try to appreciate because you never know" certainly seemed like he was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the choice to do what he chooses to do following this campaign," he added. Should the season concludes early for the Chiefs, the 3x Super Bowl veteran might decide to retire.
Preview: Bills vs. Patriots Highlights Week 15
The Bills' quarterback did it all once more for Buffalo in a wintry win. Allen threw three touchdowns and rushed for another, responsible for a staggering portion of his team's total touchdowns this year.
He is the only player in league history with three thousand passing yards, 20 TD throws and 10 rushing touchdowns in three straight seasons.
Now, he puts the team on his back again as they try to chase down their AFC East foes, the Patriots—and, that's exactly who they face next.
Key Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Statistical Highlights
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one offense.
- A star wide receiver caught two touchdowns and is still on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A dominant defensive end notched his 20th QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time mark.
- An international kicker played a key role for his squad in a upset win in rainy conditions.
- A offense that was shutout one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A reeling franchise saw its franchise quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to leave the game once more with a similar ailment.
