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Every contest is crucial from here on in, with several huge results in week 14 that might determine postseason spots come the end of the year.

A 42-year veteran quarterback landed a major blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off aspirations, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but finished the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. At the same time, the Houston defense posed a significant challenge and could have ended the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes era.

The Breakdown: Divisional Showdowns Live Up To the Hype

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

Seasoned quarterback Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, guided his squad to a gritty 27-22 victory in Baltimore. He recorded his initial rushing score in almost three years, however it was his long throws to his top receiver that proved to be the difference.

The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of kilter as his team failed to capitalize on crucial opportunities—though they were left fuming by a late touchdown being nullified. These teams are scheduled to face off again on the last day of the season.

In another, the oldest feud in the NFL witnessed a thrilling encounter. Even with scoring deep passes, an exhausted defense had to thwart another fourth-quarter comeback from the visiting rookie quarterback in the frigid weather.

The result gave one team a narrow lead in their NFC North, whereas the defeated team fell from the NFC's top spot all the way to outside the playoff picture.

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

Statistical models assign the Kansas City only a 15% chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, this will be the first missed playoffs for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a decade.

In Mahomes' seven full years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 conference championship games and five Super Bowls. This indicates the club has played nearly every possible contest throughout his tenure.

Therefore, the reasons for this year's failure are clear and were encapsulated during the recent loss. Injuries ravaged an already questionable O-line, with multiple starters out.

Even then, the quarterback gave his squad a fighting chance, but failed kicks and critical dropped passes—including on a decisive fourth-down play—confirmed their fate.

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

Two powerhouse teams from the western conferences are making compelling arguments for championship contention.

One squad, leading their the AFC, won the last title held at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defense that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, time-consuming drives.

The second contender, leading the NFC, demonstrated an high-powered offence capable of scoring from anywhere. They feature a formidable ground game to pair with an elite aerial game.

The question could be whether the high-flying offence can handle the smothering pass rush of the top defense—what would be a fascinating playoff showdown.

Talking Point: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement?

Amid the aftermath from the Chiefs' defeat, comments from the quarterback about his longtime tight end fueled rumors about a potential departure.

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

"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he wants to do after this campaign," Mahomes added. Should the season concludes prematurely for the Chiefs, the 3x Super Bowl veteran could choose to walk away.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Highlights Week 15

The Bills' quarterback did it all again for his team in a snowy victory. Allen passed for three touchdowns and rushed for one more, responsible for a staggering percentage of his team's total scores this year.

He is the only quarterback in league history with three thousand passing yards, twenty TD passes and 10 running scores in three straight campaigns.

Now, he puts the Bills on his back again as they try to catch their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—and, that's precisely who they play next.

Major Week 15 Games:

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

Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest scoring play of the season—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A star receiver caught two scores and remains tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
• A dominant pass rusher notched his 20th QB sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
• An international placekicker played a key role for his team in a upset victory in soggy conditions.
• A offense that was shutout one week responded with a shutout of its own the following week.
• A struggling franchise watched its franchise quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the game again with a related ailment.