🔗 Share this article Aaron Rodgers Keeps Playoff Aspirations Breathing, But Could This Be The Finish for the Kansas City Chiefs? Highlights from NFL Week 14 Every matchup is crucial down the stretch, with some enormous conclusions in the fourteenth week that could decide postseason spots come the end of the year. A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a big blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually finished Joe Burrow's chances. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence posed a massive challenge and may have finished the Chiefs' season sooner than ever before in the Mahomes tenure. Divisional Analysis: Division Showdowns Exceed the Anticipation Three huge rivalry games did not disappoint. Veteran quarterback Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, steered his team to a hard-fought 27-22 victory in on the road. He notched his first rushing touchdown in nearly three seasons, however it was his deep passes to his top receiver that proved to be the deciding factor. The Ravens' quarterback seemed off rhythm as Baltimore failed to capitalize on key chances—though they were left fuming by a late touchdown being chalked off. The two franchises will meet again on the last weekend of the season. In another, the longest-running feud in the league witnessed a classic encounter. Even with touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to halt another late-game comeback from the opposing rookie quarterback in the frigid weather. The outcome gave one side a slender lead in their NFC North, whereas the defeated team plummeted from the NFC's number one seed down to seventh. In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Chiefs? Statistical models give the Kansas City only a fifteen percent probability of making the postseason. Realistically, this will be the first missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade. In his seven full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 conference championship contests and 5 championship games. This indicates the team has played almost every available contest throughout his tenure. Therefore, the reasons for the current struggles are apparent and were summed up during Sunday's loss. Absences ravaged an already struggling offensive line, with several key players out. Despite that, the quarterback provided his squad a chance, however missed kicks and critical dropped passes—such as on a key fourth-down play—sealed their fate. Spotlight: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West? Two top teams from the West Coast divisions are building strong arguments for championship contention. One squad, leading their conference, won the last title held at this year's stadium. They are constructed on a dominant defence that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through grinding, time-consuming drives. The second team, leading the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offence capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a formidable running game to pair with an exceptional aerial attack. A key matchup could be whether the potent offence can handle the relentless pressure of the elite defensive unit—what would be a must-watch potential matchup. Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement? Among the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate fueled talk about a potential retirement. Hearing him state, "each season... I try to appreciate since you never know" definitely seemed like he was preparing for the veteran to call it a day. "The tight end will have the choice to do what he wants to do after this campaign," Mahomes added. If the year ends early for the team, the 3x champion veteran could decide to retire. Preview: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15 Josh Allen did it all once more for Buffalo in a wintry victory. Allen passed for three scores and rushed for one more, responsible for a staggering percentage of his offense's total touchdowns this season. Allen is the first quarterback in league history with 3,000 passing yards, twenty TD passes and 10 running scores in 3 straight seasons. Now, he puts the team on his shoulders again as they try to chase down their division foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are precisely who they play next. Major Upcoming Week Games: Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots Lions @ Rams Green Bay Packers @ Broncos Chargers @ Chiefs Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one team. A star wide receiver scored 2 touchdowns and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving. A feared pass rusher recorded his 20th sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the all-time mark. An international kicker played a key role for his squad in a surprise win in soggy conditions. A offense that was held scoreless one week bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the next. A struggling franchise saw its star QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest once more with a similar ailment.