Rodgers Maintains Playoff Aspirations Breathing, But Could This Be The Finish for the Kansas City Chiefs? Top Stories from NFL Week 14

Every matchup counts from here on in, with several enormous results in week 14 that could decide play-off spots by the end of the season.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers landed a major setback to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated Joe Burrow's chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defence presented a significant challenge and may have concluded the Chiefs' season sooner than ever in the Mahomes era.

Divisional Analysis: Division Deciders Exceed the Expectations

Three critical division clashes lived up to the hype.

Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, steered his squad to a hard-fought close win in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer recorded his initial running touchdown in nearly three years, but it was his deep passes to his top wideout that proved to be the difference.

The Ravens' quarterback was out of sync as Baltimore failed to capitalize on crucial chances—although they were left fuming by a late touchdown being nullified. The two teams are scheduled to face off again on the last day of the regular season.

In another, the longest-running feud in the league witnessed a epic contest. Despite scoring deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to halt another fourth-quarter rally from the opposing rookie QB in the freezing conditions.

The result gave one side a slender advantage in their NFC North, while the losers fell from the conference's number one seed down to seventh.

In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Chiefs?

Projections assign the Chiefs only a 15% chance of making the play-offs. In all likelihood, this could be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Patrick 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. That means the team has played nearly each possible contest throughout his time.

So, the reasons for this year's struggles are evident and were highlighted during Sunday's defeat. Injuries decimated an already questionable offensive line, with several starters out.

Even then, the quarterback provided his team a chance, however failed kicks and costly drops—such as on a pivotal fourth down attempt—confirmed their fate.

In Focus: Is the Super Bowl Be Destined for the Western US?

A pair of top contenders from the western divisions are building strong cases for championship contention.

One squad, leading their conference, claimed the most recent Super Bowl held at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defense that leads the NFL in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, time-consuming drives.

The other contender, atop the NFC, showcased an high-powered offence capable of scoring from any situation. They feature a formidable ground game to pair with an elite passing attack.

The question would be if the potent offense can withstand the relentless pass rush of the elite defensive unit—a a must-watch potential matchup.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement?

Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate fueled talk about a potential departure.

Listening to Mahomes say, "each season... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly sounded like he was bracing for the veteran to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the choice to do what he chooses to do after this campaign," Mahomes added. Should the year ends early for the Chiefs, the 3x champion winner could choose to walk away.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Highlights Week 15

Josh Allen put on a show once more for his team in a snowy victory. He passed for three scores and rushed for one more, accounting for a staggering portion of his offense's total scores this year.

Allen is the only player in NFL history with 3,000 passing yards, twenty TD passes and ten running touchdowns in 3 consecutive seasons.

Now, he puts the Bills on his back again as they try to chase down their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—and, that's exactly who they play next.

Major Upcoming Week Games:

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

This Week's Statistical Highlights

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest scoring play of the year—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A prolific wide receiver caught 2 scores and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
• A feared pass rusher recorded his twentieth sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
• An international placekicker helped his squad in a surprise win in rainy weather.
• A team that was shutout one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
• A reeling franchise saw its star quarterback return from injury, only to leave the contest once more with a related ailment.