Every matchup counts from here on in, with some huge results in the fourteenth week that may decide postseason berths come the end of the season.
A 42-year Aaron Rodgers struck a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense presented a huge challenge and may have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Division Deciders Exceed the Hype
Three critical rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Seasoned signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a tough close victory in on the road. He notched his first running touchdown in almost three years, however it was his deep throws to his top wideout that made the deciding factor.
Lamar Jackson was out of sync as his team failed to capitalize on key chances—although they were angry by a fourth-quarter score being chalked off. These teams will meet once more on the last weekend of the season.
Elsewhere, the oldest rivalry in the NFL witnessed a epic encounter. Even with touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defense had to halt another fourth-quarter comeback from the opposing young QB in the freezing conditions.
The result handed one team a narrow advantage in their NFC North, whereas the losers fell from the conference's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Statistical models give the Kansas City only a fifteen percent probability of making the play-offs. In all likelihood, this will be the first missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a decade.
In Mahomes' seven full years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 conference championship games and five championship games. This means the team has played almost every available game throughout his time.
So, the causes for this year's struggles are clear and were summed up during Sunday's loss. Absences ravaged an already questionable O-line, with multiple starters out.
Even then, Mahomes gave his squad a chance, but missed field goals and critical drops—including on a key fourth down attempt—sealed their downfall.
Spotlight: Is the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?
A pair of top contenders from the western divisions are making strong arguments for Super Bowl favorites.
One team, atop their conference, won the last title played at this year's stadium. They are constructed on a stifling defense that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through grinding, time-consuming possessions.
The other contender, leading the other conference, showcased an explosive offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a two-headed running attack to pair with an exceptional aerial attack.
A key matchup could be whether the high-flying offense can withstand the relentless pressure of the top defensive unit—what would be a must-watch potential matchup.
Discussion: Travis Kelce Considering Calling It Quits?
Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate fueled rumors about a potential departure.
Listening to Mahomes say, "every season... I try to cherish because you never know" definitely seemed like the QB 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 winner could choose to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen did it all again for his team in a snowy win. Allen threw 3 touchdowns and ran for another, accounting for a staggering percentage of his offense's overall scores this season.
Allen is the only player in league history with 3,000 pass yards, twenty TD passes and 10 running touchdowns in three consecutive seasons.
Next, he puts the team on his shoulders again as they aim to catch their division rivals, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, they are exactly who they play this coming Sunday.
Major Week 15 Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the biggest scoring play of the year—sparked a scoring blitz for one offense.
- A star wide receiver caught two scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A feared defensive end recorded his twentieth sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the single-season record.
- An overseas kicker helped his squad in a upset win in soggy conditions.
- A offense that was shutout one game bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A struggling franchise saw its star QB return from an elbow issue, only to leave the game again with a related injury.
