Every matchup is crucial from here on in, with some massive results in the fourteenth week that might determine postseason spots by the end of the season.
A 42-year Aaron Rodgers dealt a major setback to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off hopes, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defense presented a massive problem and may have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs season earlier than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Anticipation
A trio of huge division clashes lived up to the hype.
Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, guided his squad to a hard-fought 27-22 success in on the road. The future Hall of Famer scored his initial running score in almost three years, however it was his deep throws to his star wideout that made the deciding factor.
Lamar Jackson seemed off rhythm as his team missed key opportunities—though they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter touchdown being overturned. The two franchises will meet once more on the last day of the regular season.
In another, the oldest feud in the NFL saw a epic contest. Even with scoring deep passes, an worn-out defense had to stop another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting rookie quarterback in the frigid weather.
The result gave one team a slender lead in their NFC North, while the losers dropped from the conference's number one seed all the way to seventh.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections give the Kansas City only a 15% probability of reaching the postseason. Realistically, this could be the first missed post-season for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a ten years.
In his seven full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven AFC Championship contests and 5 championship games. That means the team has played nearly each available contest during his time.
So, the reasons for the current struggles are apparent and were highlighted during the recent defeat. Absences ravaged an already dodgy O-line, with several starters missing.
Despite that, Mahomes provided his team a chance, but failed kicks and crucial dropped passes—including on a pivotal fourth down attempt—sealed their downfall.
In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Destined for the Western US?
A pair of top teams from the western conferences are making strong cases for championship contention.
One team, atop their conference, won the last title played at this year's stadium. They are built on a stifling defence that tops the league in sacks and victories through grinding, time-consuming possessions.
The second team, leading the NFC, demonstrated an dynamic offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a formidable ground attack to pair with an elite aerial attack.
The question could be whether the potent offense could solve the smothering pass rush of the elite defensive unit—a a must-watch potential matchup.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits?
Amid the fallout from the Chiefs' loss, remarks from the quarterback about his star teammate sparked talk about a possible retirement.
Hearing him state, "every year... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely seemed like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.
"The tight end will have the choice to do what he chooses to do following this season," Mahomes added. Should the year concludes early for the team, the three-time champion winner might choose to retire.
Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate
The Bills' quarterback put on a show again for Buffalo in a snowy victory. Allen passed for 3 touchdowns and ran for another, responsible for a remarkable percentage of his team's total scores this season.
He is the first player in NFL annals with three thousand pass yards, 20 touchdown throws and 10 rushing scores in 3 straight campaigns.
Next, he puts the Bills on his back once more as they try to chase down their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—and, they are exactly who they face this coming Sunday.
Key Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Chargers @ Chiefs
Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the year—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
- A prolific wide receiver caught 2 touchdowns and remains tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant defensive end notched his twentieth sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the all-time mark.
- An international kicker played a key role for his squad in a upset victory in soggy conditions.
- A offense that was held scoreless one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A struggling franchise saw its star quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest again with a similar ailment.
