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Every game matters from here on in, with several massive conclusions in week 14 that might decide postseason berths come the end of the season.

A 42-year veteran quarterback dealt a significant setback to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but ended Joe Burrow's hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence presented a significant problem and could have ended the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever in the Mahomes era.

The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Anticipation

Three huge divisional battles delivered.

Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, guided his team to a tough close success in on the road. The future Hall of Famer notched his first running touchdown in nearly three years, but it was his deep passes to his top receiver that proved to be the deciding factor.

Lamar Jackson was out of sync as his team failed to capitalize on key chances—although they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter touchdown being nullified. These teams will meet once more on the final weekend of the season.

In another, the longest-running rivalry in the NFL witnessed a epic encounter. Despite touchdown bombs, an exhausted defense had to stop another late-game rally from the opposing young quarterback in the frigid weather.

This outcome gave one side a slender advantage in their NFC North, while the losers plummeted from the conference's number one seed down to seventh.

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

Statistical models give the Kansas City only a fifteen percent chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, this will be the initial missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a decade.

During his seven full years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 AFC Championship games and 5 Super Bowls. This indicates the club has played almost each available game throughout his tenure.

Therefore, the causes for this year's failure are evident and were summed up during the recent loss. Absences decimated an already dodgy O-line, with multiple starters missing.

Even then, Mahomes gave his squad a fighting chance, but failed field goals and costly drops—including on a key fourth-down attempt—sealed their fate.

Spotlight: Is the Super Bowl Be Destined 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 most recent title held at this year's venue. They are built on a dominant defence that tops the NFL in quarterback takedowns and victories through methodical, time-consuming drives.

The second team, leading the other conference, showcased an explosive offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a formidable ground attack to pair with an elite passing attack.

A key matchup could be whether the potent offence could handle the relentless pass rush of the elite defense—what would be a fascinating potential matchup.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement?

Among the fallout from the Chiefs' loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end fueled rumors about a possible departure.

Listening to Mahomes say, "every year... I try to cherish since you never know" certainly sounded like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.

"The tight end will have the choice to do what he wants to do following this season," Mahomes added. If the season concludes early for the team, the three-time champion winner might decide to retire.

Preview: Bills vs. New England Headlines Week 15

The Bills' quarterback put on a show once more for his team in a snowy win. Allen threw three scores and ran for one more, accounting for a staggering percentage of his offense's total scores this year.

He is the only quarterback in league annals with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD throws and 10 rushing touchdowns in three straight seasons.

Next, he puts the Bills on his back once more as they try to chase down their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots—and, they are precisely who they face next.

Major Upcoming Week Matchups:

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

Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
• A star receiver caught 2 touchdowns and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
• A feared defensive end notched his twentieth sack of the season, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
• An international kicker helped his team in a upset win in rainy weather.
• A offense that was held scoreless one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
• A reeling team watched its star quarterback return from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest again with a similar ailment.