Every contest matters from here on in, with a number of enormous outcomes in week 14 that may determine postseason positions by the end of the year.
A 42-year Aaron Rodgers landed a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off hopes, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston defense posed a massive problem and could have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever in the Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Expectations
A trio of critical division clashes lived up to the hype.
Seasoned quarterback Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, guided his team to a tough 27-22 win in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer scored his first rushing score in nearly three years, however it was his long throws to his top wideout that proved to be the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of kilter as Baltimore missed key opportunities—although they were frustrated by a late touchdown being chalked off. These teams will meet once more on the final day of the season.
Elsewhere, the oldest feud in the NFL witnessed a epic contest. Even with touchdown bombs, an exhausted defense had to stop another late-game comeback from the visiting young quarterback in the freezing conditions.
The outcome handed one side a slender advantage in their NFC North, whereas the defeated team fell from the NFC's top spot all the way to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Statistical models give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent chance of reaching the postseason. Realistically, this could be the first missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a decade.
During Mahomes' 7 complete years as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven AFC Championship games and 5 championship games. That means the club has competed in almost each available game throughout his time.
So, the reasons for this year's struggles are apparent and were highlighted during Sunday's loss. Absences decimated an already struggling offensive line, with several starters out.
Despite that, the quarterback provided his team a chance, however missed kicks and crucial dropped passes—such as on a decisive fourth down play—confirmed their downfall.
In Focus: Is the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?
A pair of top contenders from the West Coast conferences are building compelling arguments for championship contention.
One team, atop their conference, won the most recent Super Bowl held at February's venue. They are constructed on a dominant defence that leads the league in sacks and victories through grinding, long drives.
The other team, leading the other conference, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a formidable ground attack to pair with an elite aerial attack.
The question would be whether the potent offense can handle the smothering pressure of the elite defense—what would be a must-watch playoff showdown.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement?
Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from the quarterback about his star teammate fueled talk about a potential retirement.
Hearing Mahomes say, "every season... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly seemed like he was bracing for the veteran to call it a day.
"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he wants to do following this season," Mahomes continued. Should the season ends early for the team, the 3x champion veteran could decide to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights Week 15
Josh Allen put on a show once more for his team in a wintry victory. He threw 3 touchdowns and ran for one more, accounting for a staggering percentage of his team's total scores this year.
Allen is the first quarterback in NFL annals with 3,000 pass yards, 20 TD throws and 10 running touchdowns in three consecutive seasons.
Next, he puts the Bills on his shoulders again as they aim to chase down their division rivals, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, that's exactly who they play next.
Major Week 15 Matchups:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff runback for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
- A prolific wide receiver caught two scores and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A feared defensive end notched his twentieth QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time record.
- An international kicker played a key role for his team in a surprise victory in soggy conditions.
- A offense that was shutout one week responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
- A reeling team watched its star QB come back from injury, only to leave the contest again with a related ailment.
