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Each game is crucial down the stretch, with some enormous conclusions in the fourteenth week that could determine play-off berths come the end of the campaign.

A 42-year Aaron Rodgers landed a major blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, while Josh Allen virtually finished Joe Burrow's chances. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence posed a significant challenge and could have concluded the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.

Divisional Analysis: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Hype

A trio of huge rivalry games lived up to the hype.

Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, led his team to a hard-fought close success in on the road. The future Hall of Famer notched his first rushing score in almost three years, however it was his long passes to his top receiver that made the deciding factor.

The Ravens' quarterback was off rhythm as Baltimore failed to capitalize on crucial chances—although they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter score being overturned. The two teams are scheduled to face off once more on the final day of the season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the league saw a epic contest. Despite touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to stop another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting young QB in the frigid conditions.

This result gave one side a slender lead in their division, while the losers dropped from the NFC's top spot down to seventh.

In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?

Statistical models assign the Kansas City only a fifteen percent probability of reaching the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the first missed playoffs for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a decade.

In Mahomes' seven full years as a starter, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship games and 5 Super Bowls. This means the team has played almost each available contest throughout his tenure.

So, the reasons for this year's struggles are evident and were encapsulated during Sunday's defeat. Absences ravaged an already questionable offensive line, with several starters missing.

Despite that, Mahomes gave his squad a chance, however missed kicks and critical drops—such as on a pivotal fourth down attempt—confirmed their downfall.

Spotlight: Is the Super Bowl Be Destined for the Western US?

A pair of top teams from the West Coast divisions are building strong cases for championship favorites.

One squad, atop their the AFC, won the last title played at February's venue. They are built on a dominant defense that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, long drives.

The second team, atop the other conference, demonstrated an dynamic offense capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a two-headed running game to pair with an exceptional aerial attack.

The question would be if the high-flying offence can withstand the smothering pressure of the elite defense—a a fascinating playoff showdown.

Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Calling It Quits?

Among the fallout from the Chiefs' loss, comments from the quarterback about his star teammate fueled speculation about a potential departure.

Listening to him say, "every season... I try to cherish since you never know" certainly sounded like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.

"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he chooses to do after this season," Mahomes continued. Should the season ends early for the Chiefs, the three-time Super Bowl winner might decide to walk away.

Looking Ahead: Bills vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15

The Bills' quarterback did it all again for his team in a wintry victory. He passed for 3 touchdowns and ran for one more, responsible for a remarkable portion of his team's overall scores this year.

Allen is the first quarterback in league annals with 3,000 passing yards, twenty touchdown passes and ten rushing scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.

Now, he puts the Bills on his shoulders once more as they try to chase down their division foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are exactly who they play next.

Major Upcoming Week Matchups:

• Bills @ New England Patriots
• Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
• Packers @ Broncos
• Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the season—sparked a second-half onslaught for one team.
• A star wide receiver scored 2 touchdowns and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
• A dominant pass rusher recorded his twentieth sack of the season, closing in of the single-season mark.
• An overseas kicker helped his squad in a surprise win in soggy weather.
• A team that was held scoreless one week responded with a shutout of its own the next.
• A reeling franchise saw its star quarterback return from injury, only to exit the contest once more with a similar injury.