Every matchup matters from here on in, with several enormous results in week 14 that might determine postseason spots come the conclusion of the year.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback struck a big blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but finished the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense posed a massive problem and may have concluded the Chiefs' season sooner than ever before in the Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Hype
Three huge divisional battles lived up to the hype.
Veteran quarterback Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, steered his team to a hard-fought 27-22 win in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer notched his first rushing touchdown in almost three years, however it was his long passes to his star receiver that made the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of sync as his team missed crucial chances—although they were angry by a fourth-quarter touchdown being nullified. These teams are scheduled to face off again on the final day of the regular season.
In another, the oldest rivalry in the NFL saw a classic encounter. Despite scoring bombs, an worn-out defensive unit had to halt another late-game rally from the opposing rookie QB in the frigid conditions.
The result handed one side a narrow lead in their NFC North, while the losers dropped from the NFC's number one seed down to seventh.
Analysis: What Has Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Projections assign the Chiefs only a fifteen percent chance of making the play-offs. In all likelihood, this could be the first missed playoffs for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.
During Mahomes' seven complete seasons as a starter, he has reached seven conference championship games and 5 Super Bowls. That means the team has played almost every possible contest during his time.
So, the causes for this year's struggles are apparent and were summed up during the recent loss. Injuries decimated an already questionable offensive line, with several starters missing.
Despite that, the quarterback gave his squad a chance, however missed field goals and costly dropped passes—such as on a pivotal fourth-down play—sealed their fate.
In Focus: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the Western US?
Two top teams from the western conferences are making compelling cases for championship contention.
One team, atop their the AFC, won the most recent title held at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defence that tops the NFL in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, long drives.
The second contender, atop the other conference, demonstrated an explosive offence capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a two-headed running game to pair with an elite passing game.
A key matchup could be whether the high-flying offense could withstand the smothering pass rush of the top defense—a a must-watch potential showdown.
Talking Point: A Star Tight End Pondering Retirement?
Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end fueled talk about a possible retirement.
Listening to Mahomes state, "each season... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly seemed like he was preparing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.
"He will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do following this season," Mahomes continued. If the year ends early for the Chiefs, the 3x Super Bowl veteran might decide to retire.
Preview: Bills vs. Patriots Highlights Week 15
The Bills' quarterback put on a show again for his team in a snowy win. He threw 3 touchdowns and ran for one more, responsible for a remarkable percentage of his offense's total touchdowns this year.
He is the only quarterback in NFL history with 3,000 passing yards, 20 touchdown passes and ten running touchdowns in 3 straight campaigns.
Now, he puts the Bills on his shoulders once more as they aim to chase down their division rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, that's exactly who they play next.
Major Week 15 Matchups:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Packers @ Broncos
- Chargers @ Chiefs
Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the year—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
- A prolific receiver scored 2 scores and remains tracking for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
- A feared pass rusher recorded his 20th sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the single-season record.
- An overseas placekicker helped his squad in a upset win in soggy conditions.
- A team that was held scoreless one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the next.
- A reeling franchise watched its franchise quarterback return from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest once more with a related ailment.
