Each contest counts at this stage, with some enormous conclusions in week 14 that may settle postseason spots come the conclusion of the season.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a big blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, while Josh Allen virtually finished the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defense posed a huge problem and could have finished the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever before in the Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Division Deciders Exceed the Hype
Three huge rivalry games delivered.
Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, led his team to a hard-fought close victory in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer scored his first rushing touchdown in almost three years, however it was his deep passes to his star receiver that proved to be the difference.
The Ravens' quarterback was off rhythm as Baltimore failed to capitalize on key opportunities—although they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter touchdown being overturned. These franchises will meet once more on the last day of the season.
In another, the oldest rivalry in the NFL witnessed a thrilling contest. Despite touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to halt another late-game rally from the visiting rookie quarterback in the freezing weather.
The outcome handed one team a narrow lead in their division, whereas the defeated team plummeted from the NFC's top spot all the way to outside the playoff picture.
Analysis: What Has Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?
Projections give the Chiefs only a 15% chance of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a decade.
During Mahomes' 7 full years as a starting quarterback, he has reached 7 AFC Championship contests and five Super Bowls. This means the team has played almost every available game during his tenure.
Therefore, the reasons for the current failure are clear and were encapsulated during Sunday's defeat. Absences decimated an already struggling O-line, with multiple starters out.
Despite that, the quarterback gave his team a fighting chance, however missed field goals and crucial drops—such as on a key fourth down play—sealed their downfall.
Spotlight: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?
Two top teams from the West Coast conferences are building strong arguments for championship favorites.
One team, leading their the AFC, claimed the most recent title played at February's venue. They are constructed on a dominant defence that tops the NFL in quarterback takedowns and victories through methodical, time-consuming drives.
The other team, leading the NFC, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of scoring from anywhere. They boast a two-headed ground attack to pair with an exceptional aerial attack.
The question would be whether the high-flying offence could withstand the smothering pass rush of the top defensive unit—what would be a must-watch potential matchup.
Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement?
Amid the aftermath from the Chiefs' defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end sparked talk about a possible retirement.
Hearing him state, "each year... I try to cherish because you never know" definitely sounded like he was bracing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"He will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do following this campaign," he added. If the year ends prematurely for the team, the 3x Super Bowl winner might choose to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate
The Bills' quarterback put on a show again for his team in a wintry win. Allen passed for three scores and ran for another, responsible for a remarkable percentage of his team's total touchdowns this year.
He is the first quarterback in league annals with 3,000 pass yards, twenty touchdown throws and 10 running touchdowns in 3 consecutive campaigns.
Now, he puts the team on his shoulders once more as they try to chase down their AFC East foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, that's exactly who they play next.
Major Upcoming Week Matchups:
- Buffalo Bills @ Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff runback for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the year—sparked a scoring blitz for one offense.
- A star wide receiver scored 2 scores and remains tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant defensive end notched his twentieth QB sack of the season, closing in of the all-time record.
- An international placekicker helped his squad in a surprise win in rainy weather.
- A offense that was shutout one week responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
- A struggling team saw its star quarterback come back from injury, only to leave the game again with a similar ailment.
