Every contest matters from here on in, with a number of enormous results in the fourteenth week that could decide postseason spots come the end of the year.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off hopes, while Josh Allen virtually finished Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defence posed a significant challenge and may have finished the Chiefs' campaign earlier than ever in the Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Exceed the Hype
A trio of critical division clashes did not disappoint.
Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, steered his team to a tough 27-22 victory in on the road. He notched his initial running touchdown in almost three years, but it was his deep throws to his star wideout that made the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed off rhythm as his team missed key opportunities—although they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter score being overturned. The two franchises will meet again on the last weekend of the regular season.
Elsewhere, the oldest feud in the NFL witnessed a epic contest. Even with touchdown bombs, an exhausted defensive unit had to stop another fourth-quarter comeback from the opposing young quarterback in the freezing weather.
This result handed one team a slender lead in their division, while the losers fell from the NFC's number one seed all the way to seventh.
Analysis: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections assign the Kansas City only a fifteen percent chance of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this could be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a decade.
In Mahomes' 7 full seasons as a starter, he has reached 7 conference championship contests and five Super Bowls. That means the team has played almost each available game throughout his tenure.
So, the reasons for the current failure are clear and were summed up during Sunday's defeat. Absences decimated an already dodgy O-line, with multiple key players out.
Despite that, the quarterback gave his team a chance, however failed field goals and critical dropped passes—including on a pivotal fourth down play—sealed their fate.
Spotlight: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Destined for the West?
A pair of powerhouse contenders from the West Coast conferences are making strong cases for championship contention.
One squad, atop their conference, claimed the last title played at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defence that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, long possessions.
The other team, atop the other conference, demonstrated an dynamic offense capable of scoring from anywhere. They boast a formidable running game to complement an elite passing game.
The question could be whether the potent offense could withstand the smothering pressure of the elite defense—a a fascinating potential matchup.
Talking Point: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits?
Among the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate sparked rumors about a possible retirement.
Listening to Mahomes say, "each year... I try to cherish because you never know" definitely sounded like he was bracing for the veteran to call it a day.
"He will have the option to do whatever he wants to do after this season," Mahomes continued. Should the year ends early for the Chiefs, the three-time champion veteran could choose to walk away.
Preview: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate
The Bills' quarterback put on a show once more for Buffalo in a wintry victory. Allen passed for 3 touchdowns and rushed for one more, responsible for a remarkable portion of his team's total scores this year.
Allen is the only quarterback in league annals with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD passes and 10 running scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.
Now, he tries to carry the Bills on his shoulders again as they aim to catch their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they face this coming Sunday.
Key Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the year—sparked a scoring blitz for one offense.
- A star wide receiver scored 2 scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant pass rusher recorded his twentieth sack of the campaign, closing in of the single-season record.
- An overseas placekicker played a key role for his squad in a upset victory in soggy conditions.
- A offense that was shutout one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
- A reeling franchise watched its star QB return from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest once more with a related ailment.
