🔗 Share this article Rodgers Maintains Playoff Aspirations Afloat, Yet Is It The Finish for the Chiefs? Key Moments from NFL the Fourteenth Week Every contest matters down the stretch, with several massive outcomes in the fourteenth week that could decide postseason positions come the end of the year. A 42-year Aaron Rodgers struck a significant blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, while Josh Allen virtually terminated Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defence presented a huge challenge and could have finished the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever in the Mahomes tenure. The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Exceed the Expectations Three critical rivalry games delivered. Veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, led his squad to a tough 27-22 success in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer notched his initial running score in nearly three seasons, but it was his deep passes to his top wideout that proved to be the deciding factor. Lamar Jackson seemed out of kilter as his team missed crucial chances—though they were angry by a fourth-quarter score being chalked off. The two franchises are scheduled to face off once more on the last weekend of the regular season. Elsewhere, the oldest rivalry in the league witnessed a thrilling contest. Despite touchdown bombs, an worn-out defensive unit had to halt another late-game rally from the opposing young QB in the frigid weather. The outcome gave one team a narrow advantage in their NFC North, while the losers dropped from the conference's number one seed all the way to seventh. In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Chiefs? Statistical models assign the Kansas City only a 15% chance of reaching the play-offs. In all likelihood, this could be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years. In Mahomes' seven complete years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 AFC Championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. That means the club has played nearly each available game during his time. Therefore, the causes for this year's struggles are evident and were encapsulated during Sunday's loss. Injuries ravaged an already questionable O-line, with multiple starters missing. Even then, the quarterback provided his squad a fighting chance, however missed field goals and critical drops—such as on a pivotal fourth-down play—confirmed their fate. Spotlight: Is the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West? A pair of powerhouse teams from the western conferences are building compelling cases for Super Bowl contention. One team, atop their conference, won the last Super Bowl held at February's venue. They are built on a stifling defence that leads the NFL in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, time-consuming drives. The second contender, leading the NFC, demonstrated an dynamic offence capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a formidable running game to complement an elite passing game. The question could be whether the potent offense could handle the smothering pressure of the top defensive unit—a a fascinating potential showdown. Talking Point: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement? Amid the fallout from the Chiefs' defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate sparked rumors about a potential departure. Listening to him say, "each season... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly seemed like he was preparing for the 36-year-old to call it a day. "He will have the choice to do what he wants to do following this campaign," Mahomes added. If the season ends early for the team, the three-time Super Bowl winner might decide to retire. Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Highlights the Upcoming Slate The Bills' quarterback did it all once more for his team in a wintry victory. Allen passed for three scores and ran for one more, responsible for a remarkable portion of his offense's total touchdowns this season. He is the first quarterback in NFL history with 3,000 pass yards, 20 TD throws and ten rushing touchdowns in three straight campaigns. Now, he tries to carry the Bills on his shoulders again as they try to catch their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—and, they are precisely who they play this coming Sunday. Key Upcoming Week Matchups: Buffalo Bills @ Patriots Lions @ Los Angeles Rams Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs This Week's Stats, Records & Notes A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one team. A prolific wide receiver caught 2 scores and is still on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season. A dominant defensive end notched his twentieth sack of the season, closing in of the single-season record. An overseas placekicker helped his team in a surprise victory in rainy weather. A team that was shutout one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the next. A struggling team saw its franchise QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the game again with a similar injury.