🔗 Share this article Aaron Rodgers Maintains Playoff Dreams Afloat, Yet Is It The End for the Kansas City Chiefs? Top Stories from NFL the Fourteenth Week Every game is crucial at this stage, with a number of huge conclusions in week 14 that may decide play-off berths by the end of the season. A 42-year Aaron Rodgers dealt a significant blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually finished Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defence posed a significant challenge and may have concluded the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes tenure. Divisional Analysis: Division Showdowns Exceed the Expectations Three huge divisional battles lived up to the hype. Veteran quarterback Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, guided his squad to a tough close success in on the road. He recorded his initial rushing touchdown in nearly three years, however it was his deep passes to his star wideout that made the deciding factor. The Ravens' quarterback seemed off rhythm as Baltimore failed to capitalize on key chances—although they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter score being nullified. These franchises are scheduled to face off once more on the last weekend of the regular season. Elsewhere, the longest-running rivalry in the NFL saw a thrilling encounter. Even with scoring bombs, an worn-out defense had to thwart another fourth-quarter comeback from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing conditions. The result gave one team a narrow advantage in their NFC North, while the losers dropped from the conference's top spot all the way to seventh. In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs? Statistical models give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent probability of reaching the postseason. Realistically, this could be the initial missed playoffs for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a ten years. In his seven full years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 conference championship games and five championship games. That means the team has competed in nearly each possible contest throughout his tenure. Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are evident and were encapsulated during Sunday's loss. Absences decimated an already struggling offensive line, with multiple starters out. Despite that, Mahomes provided his team a fighting chance, but missed field goals and costly drops—such as on a key fourth down attempt—sealed their downfall. In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the Western US? Two powerhouse teams from the western conferences are making strong arguments for championship favorites. One team, atop their the AFC, won the last title held at February's stadium. They are built on a dominant defence that tops the league in sacks and wins through grinding, long drives. The other contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offense capable of scoring from any situation. They feature a two-headed ground game to complement an exceptional passing attack. A key matchup would be whether the potent offense could handle the smothering pressure of the top defense—a a fascinating potential matchup. Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Calling It Quits? Among the aftermath from the Chiefs' defeat, comments from the quarterback about his longtime tight end sparked talk about a potential departure. Hearing Mahomes state, "each year... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly sounded like he was preparing for the 36-year-old to call it a day. "The tight end will have the choice to do what he wants to do after this campaign," Mahomes continued. Should the season ends prematurely for the team, the 3x champion veteran might choose to walk away. Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines Week 15 The Bills' quarterback did it all again for his team in a snowy win. Allen passed for 3 touchdowns and ran for another, accounting for a staggering percentage of his team's overall scores this season. He is the only player in league annals with 3,000 passing yards, twenty TD passes and ten rushing scores in 3 consecutive seasons. Next, he puts the Bills on his back once more as they try to chase down their division rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they face this coming Sunday. Key Upcoming Week Games: Bills @ Patriots Lions @ Los Angeles Rams Packers @ Denver Broncos Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs This Week's Statistical Highlights A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the year—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense. A prolific wide receiver caught two scores and remains tracking for a historic 2,000-yard receiving. A feared pass rusher notched his 20th sack of the campaign, closing in of the all-time record. An overseas kicker helped his squad in a surprise victory in soggy conditions. A team that was held scoreless one game responded with a shutout of its own the next. A reeling team watched its franchise QB return from an elbow issue, only to leave the contest once more with a similar ailment.