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Each contest counts from here on in, with several enormous conclusions in the fourteenth week that may determine play-off berths come the conclusion of the year.

A 42-year-old veteran quarterback struck a major setback to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, while Josh Allen all-but ended Joe Burrow's chances. Meanwhile, the Houston defense posed a huge problem and could have finished the Chiefs' season sooner than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Anticipation

Three critical division clashes delivered.

Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, steered his squad to a gritty close success in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer notched his first running touchdown in nearly three seasons, but it was his deep throws to his star wideout that made the deciding factor.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed crucial chances—although they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter touchdown being chalked off. The two franchises will meet again on the last weekend of the season.

In another, the longest-running feud in the NFL witnessed a epic encounter. Even with touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to stop another late-game comeback from the opposing rookie QB in the frigid weather.

This result gave one side a slender advantage in their division, while the defeated team fell from the NFC's top spot down to outside the playoff picture.

Analysis: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?

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

In his 7 complete years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 conference championship games and five Super Bowls. That indicates the club has competed in almost every available contest during his time.

Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are apparent and were highlighted during the recent loss. Injuries decimated an already struggling offensive line, with multiple starters missing.

Despite that, the quarterback gave his team a chance, but failed field goals and costly dropped passes—such as on a decisive fourth down attempt—confirmed their fate.

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

A pair of top contenders from the western divisions are building strong arguments for Super Bowl favorites.

One squad, leading their conference, won the last Super Bowl held at this year's stadium. They are constructed on a dominant defence that leads the NFL in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, time-consuming possessions.

The other contender, atop the other conference, demonstrated an explosive offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They boast a two-headed running attack to pair with an exceptional passing game.

A key matchup would be if the high-flying offence could solve the relentless pressure of the top defense—a a must-watch playoff matchup.

Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement?

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

Hearing Mahomes say, "every year... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly sounded like he was bracing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.

"He will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do following this season," Mahomes added. If the season ends prematurely for the team, the three-time Super Bowl veteran might choose to walk away.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Highlights Week 15

The Bills' quarterback did it all once more for Buffalo in a wintry win. He passed for three scores and rushed for one more, accounting for a remarkable percentage of his offense's total touchdowns this season.

He is the only quarterback in league annals with 3,000 pass yards, twenty touchdown throws and ten rushing touchdowns in 3 straight campaigns.

Now, he puts the Bills on his back again as they aim to catch their division rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are exactly who they face next.

Major Week 15 Games:

• Bills @ Patriots
• Detroit Lions @ Rams
• Packers @ Denver Broncos
• Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest scoring play of the season—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A star wide receiver scored 2 touchdowns and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A feared pass rusher recorded his 20th sack of the season, closing in of the all-time mark.
• An international kicker played a key role for his squad in a upset victory in rainy conditions.
• A offense that was held scoreless one week responded with a shutout of its own the next.
• A reeling franchise watched its franchise quarterback return from an elbow issue, only to leave the contest once more with a similar ailment.