Aaron Rodgers Keeps Postseason Hopes Alive, Yet Could This Be The Conclusion for the Kansas City Chiefs? Key Moments from NFL the Fourteenth Week

Every game is crucial down the stretch, with a number of massive outcomes in the fourteenth week that might determine play-off spots by the end of the campaign.

A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a big blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason aspirations, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but ended the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defense posed a significant problem and may have finished the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.

Divisional Analysis: Divisional Deciders Exceed the Anticipation

A trio of massive division clashes did not disappoint.

Veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, led his team to a tough close victory in on the road. The future Hall of Famer recorded his first running score in nearly three years, however it was his deep passes to his top wideout that made the deciding factor.

The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of sync as his team failed to capitalize on crucial opportunities—although they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter touchdown being chalked off. The two teams are scheduled to face off again on the last weekend of the season.

Elsewhere, the oldest feud in the league witnessed a thrilling contest. Even with scoring bombs, an exhausted defensive unit had to halt another late-game rally from the opposing young quarterback in the freezing weather.

This outcome gave one team a slender lead in their NFC North, while the losers plummeted from the NFC's top spot down to outside the playoff picture.

Analysis: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?

Statistical models give the Kansas City only a 15% chance of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the first missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.

During his seven full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven conference championship games and five Super Bowls. That indicates the club has competed in almost each possible game throughout his tenure.

So, the reasons for this year's failure are apparent and were summed up during Sunday's loss. Injuries decimated an already dodgy offensive line, with multiple key players missing.

Even then, the quarterback gave his squad a fighting chance, but missed kicks and costly drops—including on a key fourth down play—confirmed their fate.

Spotlight: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the Western US?

Two top teams from the West Coast conferences are building strong cases for championship favorites.

One team, atop their conference, won the last Super Bowl held at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defense that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, time-consuming drives.

The other team, leading the other conference, showcased an high-powered offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a formidable ground attack to pair with an elite passing game.

A key matchup could be if the potent offense could solve the smothering pass rush of the elite defensive unit—a a must-watch playoff matchup.

Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits?

Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's loss, comments from the quarterback about his longtime tight end fueled speculation about a possible departure.

Listening to him say, "each season... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was preparing for the veteran to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do following this campaign," Mahomes added. If the year ends early for the team, the 3x champion veteran might decide to walk away.

Looking Ahead: Bills vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate

Josh Allen did it all once more for his team in a snowy victory. Allen threw three touchdowns and ran for one more, accounting for a staggering percentage of his team's overall touchdowns this year.

He is the only player in league annals with 3,000 pass yards, 20 TD throws and 10 rushing scores in three consecutive seasons.

Next, he tries to carry the Bills on his shoulders once more as they aim to catch their AFC East foes, the Patriots—and, that's exactly who they face next.

Key Week 15 Games:

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

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest scoring play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one offense.
• A prolific receiver scored two scores and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
• A dominant pass rusher recorded his twentieth QB sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the all-time record.
• An overseas kicker helped his team in a surprise victory in soggy weather.
• A offense that was shutout one week responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
• A reeling team saw its star QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the game again with a related injury.