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Every contest matters from here on in, with a number of enormous outcomes in week 14 that may determine postseason berths by the end of the year.

A 42-year-old veteran quarterback dealt a major setback to Lamar Jackson's play-off aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually ended Joe Burrow's chances. At the same time, the Houston defense posed a massive problem and may have finished the Kansas City Chiefs season sooner than ever before in the Mahomes era.

Divisional Analysis: Division Deciders Exceed the Expectations

Three critical rivalry games delivered.

Seasoned quarterback Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, guided his team to a hard-fought close victory in Baltimore. He notched his initial running touchdown in nearly three seasons, but it was his long passes to his top receiver that proved to be the deciding factor.

The Ravens' quarterback was off rhythm as his team failed to capitalize on key chances—although they were angry by a fourth-quarter score being chalked off. These teams are scheduled to face off once more on the final weekend of the regular season.

In another, the longest-running rivalry in the league witnessed a epic encounter. Even with touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to thwart another late-game comeback from the visiting rookie quarterback in the frigid weather.

This result handed one side a slender lead in their division, while the defeated team plummeted from the conference's number one seed down to seventh.

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

Statistical models give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent probability of making the play-offs. In all likelihood, this could be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a decade.

During Mahomes' seven full years as a starter, he has advanced to 7 AFC Championship contests and five championship games. That means the club has played nearly each available contest throughout his time.

So, the reasons for the current failure are apparent and were highlighted during the recent defeat. Absences decimated an already dodgy offensive line, with multiple key players missing.

Even then, the quarterback provided his team a fighting chance, but failed kicks and costly drops—such as on a decisive fourth-down play—sealed their downfall.

In Focus: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?

Two powerhouse teams from the western conferences are building strong cases for championship favorites.

One squad, atop their the AFC, won the most recent Super Bowl held at this year's stadium. They are constructed on a stifling defense that tops the NFL in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, long drives.

The second team, atop the other conference, demonstrated an explosive offence capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a two-headed ground attack to complement an elite aerial game.

A key matchup could be whether the high-flying offence could withstand the relentless pressure of the elite defense—a a fascinating playoff showdown.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement?

Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate sparked rumors about a potential retirement.

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

"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he wants to do after this campaign," Mahomes continued. Should the year concludes prematurely for the Chiefs, the three-time Super Bowl winner might decide to retire.

Preview: Buffalo vs. Patriots Highlights Week 15

The Bills' quarterback did it all once more for Buffalo in a wintry win. Allen passed for 3 scores and ran for another, responsible for a remarkable percentage of his team's overall touchdowns this season.

Allen is the first quarterback in NFL history with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD passes and 10 rushing scores in 3 consecutive seasons.

Next, he puts the team on his back once more as they try to chase down their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots—and, that's precisely who they play next.

Major Upcoming Week Matchups:

• Bills @ Patriots
• Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
• Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
• Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs

Week 14 Statistical Highlights

• A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the year—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one team.
• A prolific wide receiver caught two scores and remains tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
• A feared defensive end recorded his 20th sack of the season, closing in of the all-time record.
• An international placekicker helped his team in a surprise win in soggy conditions.
• A team that was shutout one game bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the next.
• A struggling franchise saw its franchise quarterback come back from injury, only to leave the contest again with a similar injury.