Every contest counts at this stage, with some huge results in the fourteenth week that could settle postseason berths come the conclusion of the year.
A 42-year veteran quarterback landed a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off hopes, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but ended the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense presented a huge challenge and may have finished the Chiefs' season sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Exceed the Expectations
A trio of huge divisional battles did not disappoint.
Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, led his squad to a hard-fought close win in on the road. The future Hall of Famer recorded his initial rushing score in almost three years, but it was his long passes to his star receiver that proved to be the deciding factor.
Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as his team missed crucial chances—though they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter touchdown being overturned. These franchises will meet again on the last day of the regular season.
In another, the oldest rivalry in the NFL saw a thrilling contest. Even with scoring bombs, an exhausted defensive unit had to halt another fourth-quarter rally from the opposing rookie QB in the freezing weather.
The outcome gave one side a narrow advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team dropped from the conference's top spot all the way to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Statistical models give the Kansas City only a 15% chance of reaching the play-offs. 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 7 full seasons as a starter, he has reached seven AFC Championship contests and five championship games. This indicates the team has competed in almost each possible contest throughout his tenure.
Therefore, the causes for the current failure are evident and were encapsulated during Sunday's loss. Injuries decimated an already dodgy O-line, with multiple key players out.
Even then, Mahomes provided his team a fighting chance, however missed field goals and costly dropped passes—such as on a key fourth-down play—confirmed their downfall.
Spotlight: Could the Super Bowl Be Destined for the West?
Two top contenders from the western divisions are making compelling cases for Super Bowl favorites.
One squad, leading their conference, claimed the most recent Super Bowl played at this year's stadium. They are built on a stifling defence that leads the league in sacks and victories through methodical, long drives.
The other contender, leading the NFC, demonstrated an high-powered offence capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a two-headed running game to pair with an elite passing game.
The question could be whether the high-flying offense could handle the smothering pass rush of the elite defense—what would be a fascinating potential showdown.
Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Calling It Quits?
Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, comments from the quarterback about his star teammate fueled rumors about a potential retirement.
Hearing Mahomes say, "each season... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly seemed like the QB was preparing for the veteran to call it a day.
"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he chooses to do after this campaign," Mahomes continued. Should the year concludes early for the team, the three-time Super Bowl veteran could decide to walk away.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show once more for Buffalo in a wintry victory. He threw 3 scores and ran for another, accounting for a staggering percentage of his offense's total touchdowns this season.
He is the first player in NFL annals with three thousand passing yards, 20 TD throws and 10 rushing touchdowns in three straight seasons.
Now, he puts the Bills on his shoulders again as they aim to catch their AFC East foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are precisely who they play this coming Sunday.
Major Week 15 Games:
- Buffalo Bills @ Patriots
- Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest scoring play of the year—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one team.
- A prolific wide receiver caught 2 touchdowns and remains tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant defensive end recorded his 20th QB sack of the season, closing in of the single-season record.
- An international placekicker helped his team in a upset win in rainy weather.
- A team that was held scoreless one week responded with a shutout of its own the next.
- A struggling team saw its franchise quarterback return from injury, only to leave the contest once more with a related injury.
