Every game matters from here on in, with some enormous results in the fourteenth week that could determine play-off spots by the conclusion of the campaign.
A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers struck a significant blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually finished Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defence presented a massive challenge and could have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs campaign earlier than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Anticipation
Three huge rivalry games delivered.
Seasoned signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, steered his squad to a gritty 27-22 success in on the road. The future Hall of Famer scored his first running touchdown in nearly three seasons, but it was his deep passes to his star wideout that made the deciding factor.
Lamar Jackson was out of sync as Baltimore missed key opportunities—though they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter touchdown being chalked off. The two teams will meet once more on the final weekend of the regular season.
Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the NFL saw a epic contest. Even with touchdown bombs, an worn-out defense had to stop another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting young quarterback in the frigid weather.
The result handed one side a slender advantage in their division, whereas the losers plummeted from the NFC's number one seed all the way to seventh.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Statistical models give the Chiefs only a 15% chance of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this could be the first missed post-season for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a decade.
During Mahomes' 7 complete years as a starter, he has reached 7 conference championship contests and five championship games. That indicates the club has played nearly every possible game throughout his tenure.
So, the causes for this year's failure are apparent and were summed up during the recent loss. Injuries decimated an already dodgy offensive line, with multiple key players out.
Despite that, Mahomes provided his squad a fighting chance, however missed field goals and costly dropped passes—such as on a decisive fourth-down attempt—sealed their downfall.
In Focus: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the Western US?
A pair of top contenders from the western divisions are building compelling arguments for championship favorites.
One team, leading their conference, won the most recent title held at February's venue. They are constructed on a stifling defense that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, time-consuming drives.
The other team, atop the other conference, demonstrated an dynamic offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a formidable running attack to pair with an elite passing attack.
A key matchup could be if the potent offence can handle the smothering pressure of the elite defense—a a fascinating playoff showdown.
Talking Point: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement?
Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from the quarterback about his longtime teammate fueled rumors about a possible retirement.
Hearing Mahomes state, "each year... I try to cherish because you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was bracing for the veteran to call it a day.
"The tight end will have the choice to do what he chooses to do following this campaign," he added. If the season concludes early for the team, the 3x Super Bowl veteran might decide to retire.
Preview: Bills vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show once more for his team in a snowy victory. He passed for three touchdowns and rushed for one more, accounting for a staggering portion of his offense's overall scores this season.
He is the first player in NFL annals with 3,000 pass yards, 20 touchdown passes and 10 running touchdowns in three consecutive seasons.
Now, he tries to carry the team on his back once more as they try to catch their division foes, the New England Patriots—and, they are exactly who they play this coming Sunday.
Key Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Packers @ Broncos
- Chargers @ Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the year—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense.
- A star receiver caught two scores and remains tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A dominant pass rusher notched his 20th sack of the campaign, closing in 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 shutout one game bounced back with a shutout 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 similar injury.
