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Every contest matters down the stretch, with some huge conclusions in week 14 that may determine postseason spots by the end of the campaign.

A 42-year-old veteran quarterback struck a major setback to Lamar Jackson's play-off aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but finished the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defense posed a significant challenge and may have concluded the Chiefs' season earlier than ever in the Patrick Mahomes era.

The Breakdown: Division Deciders Live Up To the Hype

A trio of massive divisional battles delivered.

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a hard-fought close success in on the road. He recorded his first rushing touchdown in almost three years, but it was his long throws to his star receiver that made the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of kilter as Baltimore missed key chances—although they were angry by a fourth-quarter touchdown being overturned. The two teams will meet again on the last day of the regular season.

In another, the oldest feud in the NFL witnessed a classic encounter. Despite touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defensive unit had to stop another late-game rally from the opposing young QB in the freezing conditions.

The outcome handed one team a narrow lead in their NFC North, whereas the defeated team dropped from the NFC's top spot down to seventh.

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

Statistical models give the Chiefs only a 15% chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the initial missed playoffs for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a ten years.

During his seven full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship games and 5 championship games. That indicates the team has played nearly every possible contest during his tenure.

Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are evident and were summed up during the recent loss. Injuries ravaged an already questionable offensive line, with multiple starters missing.

Despite that, the quarterback provided his team a fighting chance, but missed field goals and costly drops—including on a decisive fourth-down play—sealed their downfall.

In Focus: Is the Super Bowl Be Heading for the Western US?

Two top contenders from the western conferences are making compelling cases for Super Bowl contention.

One squad, atop their conference, claimed the last title played at this year's stadium. They are constructed on a dominant defence that tops the league in sacks and victories through methodical, time-consuming drives.

The other contender, atop the other conference, showcased an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They boast a two-headed running attack to pair with an exceptional aerial game.

A key matchup would be whether the potent offense could solve the relentless pressure of the elite defensive unit—a a must-watch playoff showdown.

Talking Point: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits?

Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end fueled speculation about a possible departure.

Hearing Mahomes state, "every season... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely sounded like he was preparing for the veteran to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the option to do what he wants to do after this season," he added. If the year ends early for the team, the 3x Super Bowl veteran might choose to retire.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate

The Bills' quarterback did it all again for his team in a wintry win. He passed for three touchdowns and rushed for one more, accounting for a remarkable portion of his offense's overall scores this year.

Allen is the first player in league history with 3,000 passing yards, twenty touchdown throws and ten running scores in three consecutive seasons.

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

Key Upcoming Week Games:

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

Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the year—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A star receiver scored 2 scores and remains tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
• A feared defensive end recorded his twentieth sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
• An overseas kicker helped his squad in a upset victory in rainy weather.
• A offense that was shutout one game bounced back with a shutout of its own the following week.
• A struggling franchise saw its star quarterback return from injury, only to leave the contest once more with a related ailment.