Every contest is crucial from here on in, with some huge outcomes in week 14 that might settle play-off positions come the end of the season.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback struck a significant blow to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off aspirations, while Josh Allen virtually finished the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defense posed a huge challenge and could have ended the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.
Divisional Analysis: Division Deciders Live Up To the Hype
Three critical division clashes lived up to the hype.
Veteran quarterback Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, steered his team to a hard-fought 27-22 success in on the road. The future Hall of Famer notched his initial running score in almost three seasons, however it was his long passes to his star receiver that proved to be the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed crucial opportunities—though they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter score being overturned. The two franchises are scheduled to face off once more on the final weekend of the regular season.
Elsewhere, the longest-running rivalry in the league witnessed a thrilling contest. Even with touchdown bombs, an worn-out defense had to halt another late-game comeback from the visiting rookie quarterback in the frigid weather.
This outcome gave one side a slender advantage in their division, whereas the defeated team plummeted from the NFC's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.
Analysis: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Chiefs?
Statistical models assign the Chiefs only a 15% chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, this will be the first missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a decade.
During Mahomes' seven full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. That means the team has played almost every available contest throughout his time.
Therefore, the causes for this year's failure are apparent and were encapsulated during Sunday's defeat. Injuries decimated an already dodgy offensive line, with multiple starters missing.
Even then, the quarterback gave his team a chance, however missed field goals and critical drops—including on a pivotal fourth-down attempt—confirmed their downfall.
Spotlight: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?
Two top contenders from the West Coast divisions are making strong cases for Super Bowl contention.
One team, leading their conference, won the most recent Super Bowl held at this year's stadium. They are built on a dominant defence that tops the league in sacks and victories through methodical, time-consuming possessions.
The second contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They boast a formidable running game to complement an elite passing game.
The question could be if the potent offense can handle the relentless pass rush of the top defensive unit—what would be a fascinating potential showdown.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Retirement?
Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate sparked talk about a potential retirement.
Hearing him say, "every season... I try to cherish because you never know" definitely seemed like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.
"The tight end will have the option to do what he chooses to do after this campaign," he added. If the year concludes prematurely for the team, the three-time champion veteran might choose to walk away.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show once more for his team in a snowy victory. Allen passed for 3 touchdowns and ran for one more, responsible for a staggering percentage of his offense's overall touchdowns this year.
He is the only player in league annals with 3,000 passing yards, 20 TD throws and 10 running touchdowns in 3 consecutive seasons.
Next, he tries to carry the team on his back again as they try to catch their division rivals, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they face next.
Major Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Statistical Highlights
- A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the year—sparked a scoring blitz for one offense.
- A star wide receiver scored 2 touchdowns and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant pass rusher recorded his twentieth QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time mark.
- An international kicker played a key role for his squad in a upset win in soggy weather.
- A team that was held scoreless one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A reeling franchise watched its franchise QB return from an elbow issue, only to leave the game once more with a related injury.
