Aaron Rodgers Sustains Playoff Aspirations Afloat, Yet Is It The End for the Chiefs? Highlights from NFL Week 14

Each contest matters at this stage, with some massive outcomes in the fourteenth week that may determine play-off spots by the conclusion of the year.

A 42-year Aaron Rodgers struck a major blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, whereas Josh Allen virtually terminated Joe Burrow's hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence posed a massive challenge and may have ended the Kansas City Chiefs season earlier than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes era.

The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Anticipation

A trio of critical rivalry games delivered.

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, guided his squad to a gritty 27-22 victory in on the road. He recorded his initial rushing touchdown in nearly three years, however it was his deep throws to his star wideout that proved to be the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as his team missed key chances—though they were angry by a fourth-quarter score being overturned. These teams are scheduled to face off again on the last day of the season.

In another, the oldest rivalry in the NFL witnessed a epic encounter. Even with scoring deep passes, an worn-out defensive unit had to halt another fourth-quarter rally from the opposing young QB in the frigid conditions.

This result handed one team a slender advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team plummeted from the NFC's number one seed down to seventh.

In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Awry for the Chiefs?

Projections assign the Kansas City only a 15% chance of reaching the postseason. Realistically, this will be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade.

In his seven full seasons as a starter, he has reached 7 conference championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. That means the team has played almost every possible contest during his tenure.

So, the reasons for this year's struggles are evident and were highlighted during the recent loss. Absences ravaged an already struggling offensive line, with several starters missing.

Despite that, Mahomes gave his team a fighting chance, but missed kicks and crucial drops—including on a decisive fourth-down attempt—confirmed their downfall.

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

Two top teams from the West Coast divisions are making strong cases for Super Bowl favorites.

One team, leading their conference, won the most recent title held at February's stadium. They are constructed on a dominant defence that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, time-consuming drives.

The second team, atop the NFC, demonstrated an dynamic offence capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They boast a two-headed running game to complement an exceptional passing attack.

The question would be whether the high-flying offence could withstand the smothering pressure of the elite defense—a a must-watch playoff matchup.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement?

Amid the fallout from the Chiefs' loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end fueled speculation about a potential retirement.

Hearing him say, "each year... I try to appreciate since you never know" definitely sounded like he was bracing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.

"He will have the choice to do what he wants to do following this campaign," he added. Should the year concludes prematurely for the Chiefs, the three-time champion veteran could decide to retire.

Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights Week 15

Josh Allen put on a show once more for Buffalo in a wintry victory. He passed for 3 scores and ran for one more, responsible for a remarkable portion of his team's overall touchdowns this year.

Allen is the first quarterback in league history with 3,000 passing yards, 20 touchdown throws and 10 running scores in three straight campaigns.

Now, he tries to carry the team on his back once more as they try to chase down their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—and, that's precisely who they play this coming Sunday.

Major Week 15 Games:

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

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A star wide receiver caught two touchdowns and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
• A dominant defensive end recorded his 20th QB sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
• An overseas placekicker helped his team in a surprise victory in soggy conditions.
• A offense that was shutout one game bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
• A reeling franchise watched its star quarterback come back from injury, only to exit the game again with a related injury.