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Every contest is crucial at this stage, with several enormous outcomes in week 14 that might decide play-off positions by the end of the campaign.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers dealt a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off hopes, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense posed a massive problem and may have finished the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Expectations

Three critical divisional battles delivered.

Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, steered his team to a hard-fought 27-22 win in on the road. He scored his initial rushing score in almost three years, but it was his deep passes to his top wideout that proved to be the difference.

Lamar Jackson was out of kilter as Baltimore missed key chances—although they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter touchdown being nullified. The two teams are scheduled to face off once more on the final day of the season.

Elsewhere, the oldest rivalry in the league witnessed a thrilling contest. Even with touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to halt another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing conditions.

This result handed one team a narrow advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team dropped from the conference's number one seed down to seventh.

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

Projections assign the Chiefs only a 15% chance of reaching the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the first missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a decade.

In Mahomes' 7 full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 conference championship games and five championship games. That means the team has played nearly each possible contest during his tenure.

So, the reasons for this year's struggles are apparent and were encapsulated during the recent loss. Absences ravaged an already dodgy offensive line, with multiple starters missing.

Despite that, Mahomes provided his squad a fighting chance, however failed field goals and critical drops—such as on a pivotal fourth-down attempt—confirmed their downfall.

In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Destined for the Western US?

Two powerhouse teams from the western divisions are building compelling arguments for Super Bowl favorites.

One team, leading their conference, claimed the most recent Super Bowl played at this year's stadium. They are built on a dominant defence that leads the NFL in sacks and victories through methodical, long drives.

The other contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offense capable of scoring from anywhere. They boast a formidable ground attack to complement an exceptional aerial game.

A key matchup would be if the high-flying offence could withstand the smothering pressure of the top defense—a a fascinating potential matchup.

Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Retirement?

Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate sparked rumors about a possible retirement.

Listening to Mahomes state, "every season... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly sounded like he was bracing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.

"He will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do after this campaign," he added. Should the season concludes prematurely for the team, the three-time Super Bowl winner might choose to retire.

Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate

Josh Allen put on a show again for his team in a wintry win. Allen threw three touchdowns and rushed for one more, responsible for a remarkable portion of his offense's total scores this season.

He is the first quarterback in league annals with 3,000 pass yards, 20 touchdown throws and ten rushing scores in 3 straight seasons.

Next, he puts the Bills on his back again as they aim to chase down their division rivals, the Patriots—and, they are exactly who they face next.

Key Upcoming Week Games:

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

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the year—kick-started a scoring blitz for one team.
• A star receiver scored two scores and remains tracking for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
• A feared defensive end recorded his twentieth sack of the season, closing in of the all-time record.
• An overseas placekicker played a key role for his team in a surprise victory in rainy weather.
• A team that was shutout one week responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
• A struggling franchise watched its franchise quarterback return from an elbow issue, only to leave the game again with a related ailment.