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Each matchup matters down the stretch, with some enormous conclusions in week 14 that could determine play-off berths come the end of the year.

A 42-year veteran quarterback landed a significant blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, while Josh Allen virtually terminated Joe Burrow's chances. Meanwhile, the Houston defence presented a significant problem and may have finished the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Division Deciders Live Up To the Anticipation

A trio of massive rivalry games delivered.

Seasoned signal-caller Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, led his team to a tough 27-22 success in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer notched his initial rushing score in nearly three seasons, but it was his deep throws to his top wideout that made the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as his team failed to capitalize on crucial chances—though they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter score being nullified. The two teams are scheduled to face off once more on the last weekend of the season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running rivalry in the league witnessed a thrilling encounter. Despite scoring bombs, an worn-out defense had to halt another late-game rally from the opposing rookie QB in the freezing conditions.

The outcome handed one side a slender advantage in their division, whereas the defeated team plummeted from the NFC's number one seed down to seventh.

In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs?

Projections assign the Kansas City only a 15% probability of making the postseason. In all likelihood, this could be the first missed post-season for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a ten years.

In his seven complete seasons as a starter, he has reached seven AFC Championship games and 5 Super Bowls. This means the club has played almost every possible contest throughout his time.

So, the causes for this year's struggles are evident and were highlighted during the recent defeat. Absences ravaged an already dodgy offensive line, with multiple key players missing.

Even then, Mahomes gave his squad a fighting chance, however failed kicks and costly drops—such as on a key fourth down play—confirmed their fate.

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

A pair of powerhouse teams from the western divisions are making compelling arguments for Super Bowl favorites.

One team, atop their conference, claimed the last title held at this year's venue. They are constructed on a stifling defence that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, long drives.

The second contender, leading the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offence capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a two-headed ground attack to complement an exceptional passing attack.

The question would be whether the high-flying offence could handle the relentless pass rush of the top defensive unit—a a fascinating potential showdown.

Talking Point: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits?

Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from the quarterback about his star teammate fueled rumors about a potential retirement.

Hearing him state, "every season... I try to appreciate since you never know" certainly seemed like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do after this season," Mahomes added. If the year concludes prematurely for the team, the 3x Super Bowl veteran could decide to retire.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate

The Bills' quarterback did it all once more for his team in a wintry win. He threw three scores and ran for another, accounting for a remarkable percentage of his offense's overall touchdowns this season.

Allen is the only quarterback in league annals with three thousand pass yards, twenty touchdown throws and 10 running touchdowns in three consecutive campaigns.

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

Key Upcoming Week Games:

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

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the year—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A prolific wide receiver scored 2 touchdowns and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
• A dominant pass rusher notched his 20th QB sack of the campaign, closing in of the all-time mark.
• An international kicker played a key role for his team in a upset victory in soggy weather.
• A offense that was shutout one week responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
• A struggling team saw its franchise quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the game again with a similar injury.