Every game is crucial from here on in, with a number of enormous outcomes in week 14 that might decide postseason berths come the conclusion of the season.
A 42-year veteran quarterback dealt a significant setback to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually finished Joe Burrow's hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense posed a huge challenge and could have ended the Kansas City Chiefs campaign earlier than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Anticipation
A trio of huge division clashes lived up to the hype.
Seasoned signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, guided his team to a tough 27-22 victory in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer notched his initial running touchdown in almost three seasons, but it was his deep throws to his star wideout that proved to be the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback was off rhythm as Baltimore missed key chances—although they were left fuming by a late touchdown being overturned. The two teams will meet once more on the final weekend of the season.
Elsewhere, the longest-running rivalry in the league saw a epic encounter. Even with touchdown bombs, an exhausted defense had to thwart another late-game rally from the opposing young QB in the freezing conditions.
The result handed one team a slender lead in their NFC North, while the losers fell from the NFC's number one seed all the way to seventh.
Analysis: What Has Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections assign the Kansas City only a 15% chance of making the play-offs. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a ten years.
In his 7 full years as a starter, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. That means the team has played almost every available contest throughout his tenure.
So, the causes for the current struggles are apparent and were highlighted during Sunday's loss. Absences decimated an already dodgy O-line, with several starters out.
Even then, Mahomes gave his team a fighting chance, but missed field goals and critical drops—such as on a decisive fourth down attempt—sealed their downfall.
In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Destined for the West?
Two powerhouse teams from the West Coast divisions are building strong cases for championship favorites.
One team, atop their conference, won the last Super Bowl held at February's stadium. They are built on a dominant defence that leads the NFL in sacks and wins through methodical, long possessions.
The other team, leading the NFC, showcased an dynamic offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a formidable ground attack to complement an exceptional passing attack.
The question could be whether the high-flying offense could withstand the relentless pass rush of the elite defensive unit—a a must-watch potential showdown.
Talking Point: Travis Kelce Pondering Calling It Quits?
Among the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end fueled speculation about a potential departure.
Listening to Mahomes state, "every season... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly seemed like the QB was bracing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the choice to do what he chooses to do after this season," he continued. If the season concludes early for the Chiefs, the three-time Super Bowl winner might choose to walk away.
Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15
Josh Allen put on a show once more for his team in a wintry victory. Allen threw 3 touchdowns and rushed for one more, accounting for a staggering portion of his offense's overall scores this year.
He is the first quarterback in NFL annals with three thousand pass yards, 20 touchdown passes and 10 running scores in 3 straight campaigns.
Next, he puts the Bills on his shoulders again as they aim to catch their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—and, they are exactly who they face this coming Sunday.
Major Week 15 Games:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest play of the year—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
- A prolific receiver scored two scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
- A dominant defensive end notched his 20th QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time record.
- An overseas kicker played a key role for his team in a upset victory in soggy weather.
- A team that was held scoreless one game bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A reeling team saw its star QB return from injury, only to exit the contest again with a similar injury.
