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Every matchup counts down the stretch, with some massive conclusions in the fourteenth week that could decide postseason spots by the conclusion of the season.

A 42-year veteran quarterback landed a big blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off aspirations, whereas Josh Allen all-but terminated Joe Burrow's chances. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence presented a huge problem and may have concluded the Chiefs' season sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Anticipation

Three critical divisional battles lived up to the hype.

Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, led his team to a gritty 27-22 victory in on the road. The future Hall of Famer scored his first rushing score in almost three seasons, but it was his deep passes to his star wideout that proved to be the deciding factor.

Lamar Jackson was out of sync as Baltimore failed to capitalize on key opportunities—although they were left fuming by a late touchdown being overturned. These franchises will meet once more on the last weekend of the regular season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the league saw a thrilling encounter. Even with scoring bombs, an worn-out defensive unit had to stop another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing weather.

The result handed one side a narrow advantage in their division, while the losers fell from the conference's top spot down to seventh.

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

Projections give the Kansas City only a 15% probability of making the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a ten years.

In Mahomes' seven full years as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven conference championship contests and 5 championship games. This indicates the club has competed in nearly each possible contest throughout his tenure.

Therefore, the causes for the current struggles are evident and were encapsulated during Sunday's loss. Absences ravaged an already dodgy O-line, with several key players missing.

Even then, Mahomes provided his team a chance, however missed kicks and costly drops—such as on a decisive fourth-down attempt—confirmed their fate.

Spotlight: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?

A pair of top contenders from the western divisions are building compelling arguments for championship contention.

One team, leading their the AFC, claimed the last title played at this year's venue. They are built on a dominant defence that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, time-consuming drives.

The other team, leading the NFC, showcased an explosive offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a two-headed ground attack to complement an elite passing attack.

The question could be if the high-flying offence can handle the relentless pressure of the elite defense—what would be a must-watch potential showdown.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement?

Among the fallout from the Chiefs' defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate sparked speculation about a potential departure.

Listening to him state, "each season... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely sounded like he was preparing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.

"He will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do following this campaign," he added. If the season ends early for the Chiefs, the three-time Super Bowl veteran might choose to retire.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate

The Bills' quarterback did it all once more for Buffalo in a wintry victory. He threw three touchdowns and rushed for another, responsible for a remarkable portion of his offense's total scores this season.

Allen is the only player in NFL annals with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD passes and 10 rushing scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.

Next, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders again as they try to catch their division foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are precisely who they play next.

Major Upcoming Week Games:

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

Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes

• A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the year—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one team.
• A prolific wide receiver caught 2 scores and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A dominant pass rusher notched his 20th QB sack of the campaign, closing in of the single-season record.
• An overseas kicker played a key role for his team in a surprise win in soggy conditions.
• A team that was shutout one game bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
• A struggling franchise saw its franchise QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the game once more with a similar ailment.