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Every contest matters from here on in, with some enormous conclusions in the fourteenth week that might settle postseason berths come the end of the season.

A 42-year Aaron Rodgers dealt a big blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, whereas Josh Allen virtually ended the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defense presented a massive challenge and could have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever in the Mahomes tenure.

Divisional Analysis: Division Deciders Live Up To the Anticipation

A trio of critical divisional battles did not disappoint.

Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, led his team to a tough 27-22 win in Baltimore. He notched his initial running touchdown in almost three years, but it was his deep passes to his top receiver that proved to be the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of kilter as Baltimore missed crucial opportunities—although they were angry by a late score being overturned. The two franchises will meet once more on the final weekend of the season.

In another, the oldest rivalry in the league witnessed a thrilling encounter. Despite scoring bombs, an worn-out defensive unit had to stop another fourth-quarter comeback from the opposing young quarterback in the frigid weather.

This result handed one side a slender advantage in their division, whereas the defeated team fell from the conference's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.

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

Projections assign the Kansas City only a fifteen percent chance of reaching the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the first missed playoffs for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade.

During his seven complete seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 AFC Championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. This means the team has competed in nearly each available game throughout his tenure.

So, the reasons for this year's struggles are evident and were summed up during the recent defeat. Injuries ravaged an already struggling O-line, with multiple key players missing.

Despite that, the quarterback gave his squad a fighting chance, however missed kicks and costly dropped passes—including on a pivotal fourth down play—sealed their downfall.

In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?

A pair of powerhouse teams from the West Coast conferences are making compelling cases for championship favorites.

One team, atop their conference, claimed the last title held at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defense that tops the league in sacks and wins through grinding, long drives.

The other team, atop the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They boast a two-headed ground attack to pair with an elite aerial game.

The question could be whether the high-flying offence could withstand the smothering pressure of the elite defense—what would be a must-watch playoff showdown.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement?

Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate sparked rumors about a possible departure.

Listening to Mahomes state, "every season... I try to appreciate since you never know" certainly sounded like the QB was bracing for the veteran to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the option to do what he chooses to do following this campaign," Mahomes added. Should the year concludes early for the team, the 3x champion veteran might choose to retire.

Preview: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate

The Bills' quarterback did it all once more for Buffalo in a snowy victory. Allen passed for 3 scores and ran for one more, responsible for a remarkable portion of his team's overall scores this season.

He is the first player in league annals with 3,000 pass yards, twenty touchdown passes and ten running touchdowns in three straight campaigns.

Now, he puts the team on his back once more as they try to catch their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they play this coming Sunday.

Key Upcoming Week Matchups:

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

Week 14 Statistical Highlights

• A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one offense.
• A star wide receiver scored 2 touchdowns and remains tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A dominant pass rusher recorded his 20th QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time mark.
• An international placekicker helped his squad in a upset win in rainy conditions.
• A team that was shutout one week responded with a shutout of its own the following week.
• A reeling team saw its star QB return from injury, only to leave the contest again with a similar ailment.