Each game counts at this stage, with several enormous outcomes in week 14 that could settle play-off berths by the end of the year.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback struck a big setback to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason aspirations, while Josh Allen virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. At the same time, the Houston defence presented a massive problem and could have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever in the Mahomes era.
Divisional Analysis: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Hype
Three critical divisional battles delivered.
Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, guided his team to a tough 27-22 success in on the road. The future Hall of Famer notched his initial running score in nearly three years, however it was his long passes to his star wideout that proved to be the deciding factor.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed crucial opportunities—though they were angry by a late touchdown being chalked off. These franchises will meet again on the final day of the regular season.
In another, the oldest feud in the league saw a thrilling encounter. Despite touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defense had to stop another late-game rally from the opposing rookie QB in the freezing weather.
The result handed one side a slender lead in their NFC North, whereas the defeated team plummeted from the NFC's top spot down to seventh.
Analysis: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Chiefs?
Projections assign the Kansas City only a 15% probability of reaching the play-offs. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a ten years.
During his seven complete seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven conference championship contests and 5 championship games. This indicates the team has competed in almost each possible game throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the reasons for this year's failure are clear and were highlighted during Sunday's defeat. Absences decimated an already struggling O-line, with several starters out.
Despite that, Mahomes provided his team a chance, but failed kicks and costly dropped passes—including on a key fourth down play—confirmed their downfall.
In Focus: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?
Two powerhouse contenders from the western conferences are building strong cases for championship favorites.
One team, leading their conference, claimed the most recent Super Bowl played at this year's stadium. They are built on a stifling defense that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through methodical, time-consuming possessions.
The other team, leading the other conference, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a formidable running attack to complement an elite passing game.
The question could be if the high-flying offense could solve the relentless pressure of the elite defense—what would be a must-watch potential showdown.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Calling It Quits?
Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate fueled talk about a possible retirement.
Listening to Mahomes say, "every season... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely sounded like he was preparing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.
"He will have the choice to do what he chooses to do after this season," he added. If the season concludes prematurely for the team, the 3x champion veteran could choose to retire.
Preview: Bills vs. Patriots Highlights the Upcoming Slate
The Bills' quarterback did it all again for Buffalo in a snowy victory. He threw 3 scores and ran for one more, accounting for a remarkable portion of his offense's total touchdowns this year.
Allen is the only player in league history with 3,000 passing yards, twenty touchdown passes and ten running touchdowns in 3 straight seasons.
Next, he tries to carry the Bills on his shoulders once more as they try to catch their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—and, that's precisely who they face next.
Key Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ 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 scoring blitz for one team.
- A star receiver scored 2 touchdowns and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
- A feared pass rusher notched his 20th sack of the season, moving within reach of the single-season record.
- An international kicker played a key role for his team in a upset win in soggy weather.
- A offense that was held scoreless one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
- A struggling franchise watched its franchise QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest again with a similar ailment.
