Every game counts down the stretch, with some enormous conclusions in week 14 that might settle play-off positions by the end of the year.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a significant blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense presented a significant problem and may have concluded the Chiefs' season sooner than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Expectations
A trio of huge rivalry games delivered.
Veteran quarterback Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, guided his squad to a gritty 27-22 victory in Baltimore. He recorded his initial rushing touchdown in almost three years, but it was his long passes to his top wideout that proved to be the difference.
Lamar Jackson was out of sync as his team failed to capitalize on key opportunities—though they were angry by a late touchdown being overturned. These teams will meet again on the last day of the regular season.
In another, the oldest feud in the NFL saw a thrilling contest. Despite touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to thwart another fourth-quarter comeback from the opposing rookie quarterback in the freezing weather.
The result gave one side a slender lead in their NFC North, while 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 Chiefs only a fifteen percent probability of reaching the play-offs. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a decade.
During Mahomes' seven full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has reached 7 AFC Championship contests and five championship games. That means the team has played nearly every possible game during his time.
So, the causes for this year's failure are clear and were encapsulated during the recent defeat. Injuries ravaged an already struggling offensive line, with several key players out.
Even then, Mahomes provided his squad a chance, but failed field goals and crucial drops—such as on a key fourth-down attempt—sealed their fate.
In Focus: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?
A pair of powerhouse contenders from the West Coast divisions are making strong cases for championship contention.
One squad, atop their the AFC, won the last Super Bowl held at February's venue. They are constructed on a dominant defense that tops the league in sacks and wins through methodical, time-consuming drives.
The second contender, atop the NFC, showcased an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a two-headed running attack to complement an exceptional passing game.
A key matchup could be whether the potent offence could handle the smothering pass rush of the elite defensive unit—a a must-watch potential matchup.
Talking Point: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement?
Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end sparked rumors about a possible retirement.
Listening to him say, "every season... I try to appreciate because you never know" certainly seemed like the QB was bracing for the veteran to call it a day.
"He will have the option to do whatever he chooses to do following this season," Mahomes continued. If the season concludes prematurely for the team, the three-time champion winner could decide to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. Patriots Highlights the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show once more for Buffalo in a wintry win. Allen threw 3 touchdowns and ran for one more, responsible for a staggering portion of his offense's total touchdowns this year.
He is the only quarterback in NFL annals with three thousand pass yards, twenty TD passes and 10 running scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.
Next, he puts the team on his shoulders once more as they try to chase down their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—and, they are precisely who they play this coming Sunday.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs
Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff runback for a 100-yard score—the biggest scoring play of the year—sparked a second-half onslaught for one team.
- A star receiver caught two scores and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant pass rusher notched his twentieth sack of the season, closing in of the single-season record.
- An international placekicker played a key role for his squad in a surprise win in soggy conditions.
- A offense that was shutout one game responded with a shutout of its own the following week.
- A struggling team watched its star quarterback return from an elbow issue, only to leave the game again with a related injury.
