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Each contest matters down the stretch, with several enormous conclusions in the fourteenth week that may settle postseason berths come the conclusion of the season.

A 42-year veteran quarterback landed a major blow to Lamar Jackson's postseason hopes, while Josh Allen all-but finished Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defense presented a massive challenge and may have finished the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever in the Mahomes era.

The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Exceed the Anticipation

A trio of massive divisional battles delivered.

Veteran quarterback Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, led his team to a hard-fought close victory in on the road. He scored his initial running score in almost three seasons, but it was his deep throws to his star receiver that proved to be the difference.

The Ravens' quarterback was off rhythm as Baltimore missed key chances—although they were frustrated by a late touchdown being nullified. The two franchises are scheduled to face off again on the last day of the regular season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the NFL saw a thrilling contest. Even with scoring bombs, an exhausted defensive unit had to thwart another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting young quarterback in the frigid weather.

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

In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?

Statistical models give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent probability of making the play-offs. Realistically, this could be the first missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a ten years.

In Mahomes' 7 full years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 conference championship games and 5 Super Bowls. This indicates the team has played almost each available contest during his time.

So, the reasons for this year's failure are apparent and were summed up during Sunday's defeat. Absences ravaged an already dodgy offensive line, with multiple key players out.

Despite that, Mahomes gave his squad a fighting chance, however failed kicks and costly dropped passes—including on a key fourth-down play—sealed their fate.

In Focus: Is the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?

A pair of top contenders from the West Coast conferences are building strong cases for championship contention.

One team, leading their conference, claimed the last title played at this year's venue. They are built on a dominant defense that tops the NFL in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, long drives.

The second contender, leading the other conference, demonstrated an dynamic offence capable of scoring from anywhere. They feature a formidable running game to complement an elite passing game.

A key matchup would be whether the high-flying offence can solve the smothering pass rush of the top defensive unit—a a fascinating potential matchup.

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

Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from the quarterback about his star tight end sparked talk about a potential departure.

Listening to him state, "each year... I try to appreciate because you never know" certainly sounded like he was bracing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.

"The tight end will have the option to do what he chooses to do following this campaign," he added. Should the year ends early for the team, the 3x champion veteran could choose to walk away.

Preview: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15

The Bills' quarterback did it all again for Buffalo in a wintry win. He passed for 3 scores and ran for another, responsible for a staggering portion of his team's overall scores this year.

Allen is the first quarterback in NFL history with three thousand passing yards, 20 TD passes and ten running touchdowns in 3 consecutive campaigns.

Now, he tries to carry the Bills on his shoulders again as they try to chase down their division rivals, the Patriots—and, they are exactly who they face next.

Major Week 15 Games:

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

This Week's Statistical Highlights

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the year—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A prolific receiver caught 2 touchdowns and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A feared pass rusher notched his 20th QB sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
• An overseas kicker played a key role for 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 following week.
• A struggling team saw its star QB return from injury, only to leave the game once more with a related ailment.