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Each game counts at this stage, with several massive conclusions in week 14 that may determine postseason berths by the end of the year.

A 42-year-old veteran quarterback struck a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason aspirations, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually finished the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense posed a huge challenge and could have ended the Chiefs' season sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes era.

The Breakdown: Divisional Showdowns Live Up To the Anticipation

A trio of critical division clashes lived up to the hype.

Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, led his team to a tough 27-22 win in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer scored his initial running score in almost three years, but it was his deep passes to his top receiver that made the deciding factor.

The Ravens' quarterback was out of sync as Baltimore missed key opportunities—though they were angry by a late touchdown being nullified. The two teams will meet once more on the last weekend of the season.

Elsewhere, the oldest feud in the league saw a epic contest. Even with scoring bombs, an worn-out defense had to thwart another late-game comeback from the opposing young QB in the freezing conditions.

This outcome gave one side a slender advantage in their division, whereas the losers dropped from the NFC's top spot all the way to seventh.

Analysis: What Has Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?

Projections assign the Kansas City only a 15% probability of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this could be the first missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a ten years.

During his 7 full years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven conference championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. That indicates the club has played nearly each available contest during his tenure.

So, the causes for this year's failure are clear and were summed up during Sunday's loss. Injuries ravaged an already dodgy O-line, with multiple starters missing.

Even then, Mahomes gave his team a chance, however failed field goals and costly drops—including on a key fourth down play—confirmed their downfall.

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

Two top contenders from the West Coast divisions are making compelling cases for championship contention.

One squad, atop their conference, claimed the most recent Super Bowl played 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 possessions.

The second team, leading the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offense capable of scoring from anywhere. They boast a two-headed ground attack to pair with an elite passing game.

A key matchup would be if the potent offence can handle the relentless pressure of the top defensive unit—what would be a must-watch potential showdown.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement?

Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from the quarterback about his longtime tight end sparked talk about a possible retirement.

Hearing Mahomes state, "each year... I try to appreciate because you never know" definitely sounded like he was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.

"He will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do after this season," he added. Should the year concludes early for the Chiefs, the 3x Super Bowl veteran might choose to walk away.

Preview: Buffalo vs. Patriots Highlights the Upcoming Slate

Josh Allen put on a show again for his team in a snowy win. Allen threw 3 touchdowns and ran for one more, accounting for a staggering percentage of his offense's overall scores this season.

Allen is the only quarterback in NFL history with three thousand passing yards, 20 TD passes and 10 running scores in 3 consecutive seasons.

Now, he tries to carry the Bills on his back once more as they aim to chase down their division rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are exactly who they play this coming Sunday.

Key Week 15 Games:

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

Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest scoring play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one team.
• A prolific receiver caught two touchdowns and remains tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A feared defensive end notched his twentieth QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time mark.
• An international placekicker helped his team in a surprise win in rainy weather.
• A offense that was held scoreless one game bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the next.
• A struggling franchise saw its franchise quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest again with a related ailment.