🔗 Share this article Rodgers Maintains Postseason Dreams Afloat, Yet Is It The End for the Kansas City Chiefs? Top Stories from NFL the Fourteenth Week Every game counts down the stretch, with a number of enormous outcomes in week 14 that could settle postseason berths come the end of the campaign. A 42-year-old veteran quarterback dealt a big blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, while Josh Allen all-but terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston defence presented a massive problem and may have finished the Chiefs' campaign earlier than ever before in the Mahomes era. The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Anticipation A trio of huge rivalry games did not disappoint. Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, guided his team to a tough close success in on the road. The future Hall of Famer recorded his first rushing touchdown in nearly three years, however it was his long throws to his star wideout that proved to be the deciding factor. Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed key chances—although they were angry by a fourth-quarter score being nullified. The two franchises will meet once more on the final weekend of the season. In another, the longest-running feud in the league saw a classic contest. Even with touchdown bombs, an worn-out defensive unit had to stop another late-game comeback from the opposing rookie QB in the freezing weather. The result handed one team a slender advantage in their NFC North, whereas the defeated team plummeted from the conference's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture. Analysis: What Has Gone Wrong for the Chiefs? Projections assign the Kansas City only a 15% probability of making the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the initial missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years. During his 7 complete years as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven AFC Championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. That indicates the club has played nearly every possible contest throughout his time. Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are clear and were summed up during the recent defeat. Absences decimated an already struggling offensive line, with multiple key players missing. Even then, Mahomes gave his team a fighting chance, however failed field goals and crucial drops—such as on a decisive fourth down attempt—sealed their fate. In Focus: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the Western US? A pair of top contenders from the western divisions are building compelling arguments for Super Bowl contention. One squad, atop their the AFC, won the last Super Bowl held at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defence that leads the NFL in sacks and victories through methodical, long drives. The other contender, atop the NFC, showcased an dynamic offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a formidable ground attack to pair with an elite aerial attack. A key matchup could be whether the potent offense can solve the smothering pressure of the top defense—a a fascinating potential matchup. Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits? Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end fueled rumors about a possible retirement. Listening to Mahomes state, "every season... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely seemed like he was bracing for the veteran to call it a day. "The tight end will have the option to do whatever he wants to do following this season," Mahomes continued. If the season concludes early for the team, the 3x champion winner could choose to retire. Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Highlights the Upcoming Slate Josh Allen put on a show once more for Buffalo in a snowy win. Allen threw 3 scores and ran for one more, accounting for a remarkable percentage of his offense's overall scores this year. Allen is the only quarterback in NFL annals with three thousand passing yards, twenty touchdown throws and 10 rushing touchdowns in three straight seasons. Next, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders once more as they aim to chase down their division rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are precisely who they face next. Major Week 15 Matchups: Bills @ Patriots Detroit Lions @ Rams Green Bay Packers @ Broncos Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest scoring play of the year—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense. A star wide receiver scored 2 scores and remains on course for a historic 2,000-yard receiving. A dominant pass rusher recorded his 20th QB sack of the season, closing in of the single-season mark. An international placekicker helped his squad in a surprise win in rainy weather. A offense that was held scoreless one week bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the next. A struggling franchise saw its star QB return from injury, only to leave the contest again with a related ailment.