Aaron Rodgers Sustains Postseason Dreams Alive, But Is It The End for the Kansas City Chiefs? Highlights from National Football League Week 14

Every contest matters down the stretch, with a number of massive results in week 14 that may settle play-off positions by the end of the year.

A 42-year Aaron Rodgers dealt a major blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, while Josh Allen all-but finished Joe Burrow's hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense presented a huge problem and could have finished the Chiefs' season earlier than ever before in the Mahomes era.

Divisional Analysis: Division Deciders Exceed the Anticipation

Three huge division clashes delivered.

Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a tough close victory in Baltimore. He notched his initial running score in almost three years, but it was his long throws to his star wideout that proved to be the difference.

The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of sync as Baltimore failed to capitalize on key chances—though they were left fuming by a late score being nullified. These franchises will meet again on the final weekend of the season.

In another, the oldest rivalry in the NFL witnessed a classic contest. Despite touchdown bombs, an exhausted defensive unit had to stop another late-game rally from the visiting young quarterback in the freezing conditions.

This result handed one team a narrow lead in their NFC North, while the defeated team dropped from the NFC's top spot all the way to outside the playoff picture.

Analysis: What Has Gone Awry for the Chiefs?

Statistical models give the Kansas City only a 15% probability of making the postseason. Realistically, this will be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.

During Mahomes' 7 full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 AFC Championship games and 5 championship games. This indicates the club has competed in almost each available game during his time.

So, the causes for the current struggles are apparent and were highlighted during Sunday's loss. Injuries ravaged an already dodgy O-line, with several key players missing.

Even then, the quarterback provided his squad a fighting chance, however missed field goals and costly drops—including on a key fourth-down attempt—sealed their fate.

Spotlight: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the Western US?

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

One team, atop their conference, won the last title held at this year's venue. They are constructed on a dominant defence that leads the NFL in sacks and wins through grinding, long possessions.

The other contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a formidable ground attack to pair with an exceptional aerial game.

The question could be if the potent offense could solve the smothering pressure of the top defensive unit—what would be a must-watch playoff matchup.

Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement?

Among the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from the quarterback about his star teammate fueled rumors about a possible retirement.

Hearing Mahomes state, "each season... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly sounded like the QB was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.

"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he chooses to do following this season," he continued. Should the season ends early for the team, the 3x Super Bowl veteran might choose to retire.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines Week 15

Josh Allen did it all once more for his team in a snowy win. Allen passed for 3 scores and rushed for another, accounting for a remarkable percentage of his team's overall scores this season.

Allen is the only player in league annals with three thousand pass yards, 20 touchdown throws and 10 running scores in three straight seasons.

Next, he puts the Bills on his shoulders once more as they try to chase down their division rivals, the New England Patriots—and, they are precisely who they face this coming Sunday.

Major Week 15 Matchups:

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

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
• A star wide receiver caught 2 scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
• A dominant defensive end recorded his twentieth sack of the season, closing in of the all-time mark.
• An international kicker helped his squad in a surprise victory in soggy conditions.
• A team that was held scoreless one game responded with a shutout of its own the next.
• A struggling team watched its star QB come back from an elbow issue, only to leave the game once more with a similar injury.