Aaron Rodgers Sustains Postseason Dreams Alive, But Is It The Conclusion for the Chiefs? Top Stories from National Football League Week 14

Each contest counts down the stretch, with several massive conclusions in week 14 that might decide postseason berths come the conclusion of the year.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers struck a big setback to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off aspirations, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense presented a significant problem and could have finished the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever in the Mahomes tenure.

Divisional Analysis: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Expectations

A trio of massive rivalry games lived up to the hype.

Veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a gritty close win in Baltimore. He recorded his first rushing score in almost three seasons, however it was his long throws to his star receiver that made the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed crucial opportunities—though they were frustrated by a late score being chalked off. The two franchises are scheduled to face off once more on the final day of the regular season.

In another, the oldest feud in the NFL saw a epic contest. Even with touchdown bombs, an worn-out defense had to stop another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing weather.

This result handed one side a narrow advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team fell from the conference's top spot down to seventh.

Analysis: What Has Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?

Projections assign the Kansas City only a 15% chance of making the postseason. In all likelihood, this could be the first missed playoffs for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade.

During Mahomes' 7 full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship games and five Super Bowls. That means the club has competed in almost each available contest throughout his time.

Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are clear and were encapsulated during the recent defeat. Absences decimated an already struggling O-line, with multiple key players out.

Despite that, the quarterback provided his squad a fighting chance, however failed kicks and costly dropped passes—such as on a decisive fourth down attempt—sealed their downfall.

Spotlight: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?

A pair of powerhouse contenders from the western conferences are building compelling cases for Super Bowl favorites.

One team, leading their conference, claimed the most recent title played at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defence that leads the NFL in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, long drives.

The other team, leading the other conference, demonstrated an dynamic offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a two-headed ground attack to pair with an exceptional aerial game.

A key matchup could be if the potent offense could solve the relentless pass rush of the elite defense—a a must-watch playoff showdown.

Talking Point: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement?

Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from the quarterback about his longtime teammate fueled rumors about a potential retirement.

Hearing Mahomes say, "every season... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely sounded like he was bracing for the veteran to call it a day.

"He will have the option to do whatever he chooses to do after this season," Mahomes continued. If the year concludes early for the team, the three-time champion veteran could choose to walk away.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate

Josh Allen put on a show again for Buffalo in a wintry win. He passed for 3 touchdowns and rushed for another, responsible for a staggering portion of his offense's overall scores this year.

He is the only quarterback in league history with 3,000 pass yards, 20 touchdown throws and 10 rushing touchdowns in 3 consecutive seasons.

Now, he puts the Bills on his back once more as they aim to chase down their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they face next.

Major Week 15 Games:

• Buffalo Bills @ Patriots
• Detroit Lions @ Rams
• Packers @ Broncos
• Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kick-off return for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest play of the year—kick-started a scoring blitz for one offense.
• A star receiver scored 2 touchdowns and is still on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A dominant defensive end notched his twentieth QB sack of the season, closing in of the all-time mark.
• An international placekicker played a key role for his squad in a surprise victory in rainy conditions.
• A offense that was held scoreless one week responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
• A reeling franchise saw its franchise quarterback come back from injury, only to leave the contest once more with a related injury.