Each game is crucial down the stretch, with several huge outcomes in the fourteenth week that may determine play-off berths come the end of the campaign.
A 42-year Aaron Rodgers struck a big setback to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off hopes, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually ended Joe Burrow's hopes. At the same time, the Houston defense presented a huge problem and may have finished the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever in the Mahomes era.
The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Anticipation
A trio of huge rivalry games lived up to the hype.
Seasoned signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, steered his team to a tough 27-22 success in Baltimore. He notched his first running touchdown in almost three seasons, however it was his deep passes to his star receiver that made the difference.
Lamar Jackson seemed out of kilter as his team missed key opportunities—though they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter touchdown being nullified. The two franchises will meet once more on the final weekend of the regular season.
In another, the oldest feud in the league saw a classic encounter. Even with touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to thwart another late-game rally from the visiting rookie quarterback in the freezing weather.
The outcome gave one team a slender advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team dropped from the conference's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections give the Kansas City only a 15% chance of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this could be the initial missed playoffs for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a decade.
During Mahomes' 7 full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 AFC Championship contests and 5 championship games. This means the club has competed in nearly each possible game throughout his time.
Therefore, the causes for the current failure are evident and were summed up during the recent loss. Absences decimated an already questionable O-line, with multiple starters missing.
Even then, Mahomes gave his team a fighting chance, however failed field goals and critical dropped passes—such as on a decisive fourth down play—confirmed their fate.
In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Destined for the West?
A pair of top teams from the West Coast conferences are building compelling arguments for Super Bowl contention.
One team, leading their the AFC, claimed the last Super Bowl played at February's stadium. They are built on a dominant defence that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through grinding, time-consuming possessions.
The second contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a two-headed running game to pair with an exceptional aerial game.
A key matchup could be if the high-flying offense can handle the relentless pressure of the elite defense—what would be a must-watch playoff matchup.
Talking Point: A Star Tight End Pondering Retirement?
Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from the quarterback about his star teammate sparked speculation about a potential retirement.
Hearing Mahomes say, "every season... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely sounded 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 campaign," Mahomes added. Should the year concludes early for the team, the three-time champion veteran might choose to retire.
Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Highlights Week 15
Josh Allen did it all again for his team in a wintry win. He passed for 3 scores and rushed for another, responsible for a remarkable portion of his team's overall touchdowns this year.
He is the only quarterback in NFL history with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD passes and 10 running scores in 3 straight campaigns.
Next, he puts the team on his back once more as they aim to catch their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots—and, they are exactly who they face next.
Major Week 15 Games:
- Buffalo Bills @ Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Stats, Records & Notes
- A kickoff runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the year—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
- A star wide receiver scored two scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant defensive end recorded his twentieth QB sack of the campaign, closing in of the single-season record.
- An international kicker played a key role for his squad in a upset win in rainy weather.
- A team that was shutout one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
- A reeling franchise saw its star QB come back from injury, only to exit the game once more with a related injury.
