🔗 Share this article Rodgers Keeps Playoff Hopes Breathing, Yet Could This Be The Finish for the Kansas City Chiefs? Key Moments from National Football League Week 14 Every game is crucial at this stage, with some huge conclusions in week 14 that may settle postseason berths come the end of the year. A 42-year Aaron Rodgers dealt a major blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually finished Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defence presented a massive challenge and could have ended the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever in the Mahomes tenure. Divisional Analysis: Divisional Deciders Exceed the Anticipation Three huge divisional battles did not disappoint. Veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, led his team to a tough 27-22 victory in Baltimore. He notched his first running score in almost three seasons, but it was his long passes to his top receiver that made the deciding factor. The Ravens' quarterback seemed off rhythm as his team missed key chances—although they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter touchdown being chalked off. The two franchises are scheduled to face off once more on the final weekend of the regular season. Elsewhere, the longest-running rivalry in the league saw a classic contest. Even with scoring bombs, an worn-out defensive unit had to halt another late-game rally from the visiting young QB in the frigid conditions. This outcome gave one side a slender lead in their NFC North, whereas the defeated team plummeted from the conference's top spot down to seventh. In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Wrong for the Chiefs? Projections assign the Kansas City only a fifteen percent chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the initial missed playoffs for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade. In Mahomes' seven full years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 conference championship contests and 5 championship games. This means the club has competed in nearly each possible contest during his tenure. Therefore, the reasons for the current failure are evident and were highlighted during Sunday's loss. Absences decimated an already dodgy O-line, with multiple starters missing. Despite that, the quarterback provided his team a fighting chance, however failed kicks and crucial drops—such as on a key fourth-down play—sealed their downfall. Spotlight: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West? A pair of powerhouse teams from the western conferences are making strong cases for Super Bowl contention. One team, atop their conference, claimed the last title played at February's venue. They are constructed on a dominant defence that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through methodical, long possessions. The other contender, atop the other conference, demonstrated an high-powered offence capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a formidable ground game to complement an exceptional aerial game. The question would be whether the potent offense could handle the smothering pass rush of the elite defensive unit—what would be a must-watch playoff matchup. Discussion: Travis Kelce Considering Calling It Quits? Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from the quarterback about his longtime tight end fueled talk about a potential departure. Listening to him say, "each year... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly sounded like he 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 following this season," Mahomes added. Should the year ends early for the Chiefs, the 3x champion winner might decide to walk away. Looking Ahead: Bills vs. Patriots Highlights Week 15 The Bills' quarterback did it all again for Buffalo in a wintry victory. Allen passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another, responsible for a remarkable percentage of his team's overall scores this year. He is the first quarterback in NFL history with 3,000 passing yards, twenty touchdown throws and ten running scores in 3 straight campaigns. Next, he tries to carry the Bills on his shoulders again as they aim to chase down their division rivals, the Patriots—and, that's exactly who they face this coming Sunday. Major Week 15 Matchups: Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos Chargers @ Chiefs This Week's Statistical Highlights A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one team. A prolific receiver scored two 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 single-season mark. An international kicker played a key role for his squad in a upset victory in soggy conditions. A offense that was shutout one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the next. A struggling franchise watched its franchise QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the game again with a similar injury.