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Every contest matters from here on in, with several enormous results in week 14 that may settle play-off positions come the conclusion of the year.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers landed a significant setback to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off hopes, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but ended Joe Burrow's hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence posed a massive challenge and could have concluded the Chiefs' season sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Expectations

Three massive rivalry games delivered.

Veteran signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, steered his squad to a hard-fought close victory in Baltimore. He notched his first running score in almost three seasons, however it was his long passes to his top wideout that proved to be the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed key opportunities—although they were left fuming by a late touchdown being nullified. The two teams will meet again on the last day of the season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the league saw a classic contest. Despite scoring bombs, an exhausted defense had to thwart another late-game rally from the visiting young quarterback in the freezing conditions.

This result gave one side a slender advantage in their division, whereas the defeated team dropped from the NFC's number one seed all the way to seventh.

Analysis: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Chiefs?

Projections assign the Kansas City only a 15% chance of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade.

In Mahomes' 7 full years as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven AFC Championship contests and five Super Bowls. This indicates the team has played nearly each available game throughout his time.

So, the causes for the current failure are apparent and were summed up during Sunday's defeat. Absences ravaged an already struggling O-line, with multiple key players missing.

Even then, the quarterback gave his squad a fighting chance, however missed kicks and crucial dropped passes—such as on a key fourth-down play—sealed their fate.

Spotlight: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?

A pair of top teams from the western divisions are making compelling arguments for Super Bowl contention.

One team, leading their conference, won the most recent title played at this year's venue. They are built on a dominant defense that tops the league in sacks and victories through grinding, time-consuming possessions.

The other contender, leading the other conference, demonstrated an high-powered offence capable of scoring from any situation. They feature a two-headed running game to complement an exceptional aerial game.

A key matchup would be whether the potent offense could withstand the smothering pass rush of the elite defensive unit—what would be a fascinating playoff showdown.

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

Among the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate fueled talk about a potential retirement.

Hearing Mahomes state, "every season... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely seemed like the QB was preparing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do following this season," he continued. If the year concludes prematurely for the Chiefs, the 3x Super Bowl veteran might decide to walk away.

Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights Week 15

The Bills' quarterback put on a show once more for Buffalo in a snowy win. He passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another, accounting for a remarkable portion of his team's overall scores this year.

Allen is the first player in league history with three thousand passing yards, twenty TD passes and ten rushing touchdowns in 3 consecutive seasons.

Now, he tries to carry the Bills on his shoulders once more as they try to catch their division rivals, the Patriots—and, they are precisely who they face next.

Major Upcoming Week Matchups:

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

Week 14 Statistical Highlights

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one team.
• A prolific wide receiver caught two touchdowns and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
• A feared defensive end notched his twentieth sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the single-season record.
• An overseas kicker helped his team in a surprise victory in rainy conditions.
• A offense that was held scoreless one week responded with a shutout of its own the following week.
• A struggling team saw its star quarterback come back from injury, only to exit the contest again with a similar ailment.