Each contest is crucial at this stage, with a number of enormous outcomes in the fourteenth week that could settle postseason berths come the end of the year.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a significant setback to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, while Josh Allen all-but finished the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston defence posed a massive problem and may have concluded the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.
The Breakdown: Division Deciders Exceed the Hype
Three massive division clashes lived up to the hype.
Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, guided his team to a gritty 27-22 success in on the road. The future Hall of Famer notched his first running touchdown in nearly three seasons, however it was his deep passes to his top wideout that made the deciding factor.
The Ravens' quarterback was out of sync as Baltimore missed key opportunities—although they were frustrated by a late touchdown being overturned. These franchises are scheduled to face off again on the last weekend of the season.
In another, the oldest rivalry in the league witnessed a epic encounter. Despite scoring deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to stop another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting rookie quarterback in the frigid weather.
This result handed one side a narrow lead in their NFC North, while the losers dropped from the NFC's top spot all the way to seventh.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Projections assign the Chiefs only a 15% chance of making the postseason. Realistically, this could be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.
During his seven full years as a starter, he has reached 7 conference championship games and 5 Super Bowls. That means the team has played almost every possible contest during his time.
So, the causes for this year's struggles are apparent and were summed up during Sunday's defeat. Absences ravaged an already questionable O-line, with several key players missing.
Despite that, Mahomes provided his team a chance, however missed kicks and crucial dropped passes—such as on a key fourth down attempt—sealed their downfall.
In Focus: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?
Two top teams from the western divisions are making compelling cases for championship favorites.
One squad, leading their conference, claimed the last Super Bowl held at February's venue. They are built on a stifling defense that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, long drives.
The other contender, atop the NFC, showcased an explosive offense capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a two-headed ground attack to complement an exceptional aerial game.
The question could be whether the potent offense could withstand the smothering pressure of the top defense—what would be a must-watch potential showdown.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Retirement?
Among the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from the quarterback about his longtime teammate fueled rumors about a possible departure.
Hearing him say, "every season... I try to cherish since you never know" certainly seemed like he was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.
"The tight end will have the option to do what he wants to do following this season," Mahomes added. Should the season ends early for the team, the 3x champion winner might choose to retire.
Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15
The Bills' quarterback put on a show once more for his team in a snowy win. Allen passed for 3 scores and rushed for one more, accounting for a staggering portion of his offense's total touchdowns this year.
Allen is the only player in NFL history with 3,000 pass yards, 20 touchdown throws and 10 running scores in three consecutive seasons.
Now, he puts the Bills on his back once more as they try to chase down their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are exactly who they play this coming Sunday.
Major Week 15 Games:
- Bills @ New England Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs
This Week's Statistical Highlights
- A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one offense.
- A star wide receiver scored 2 touchdowns and remains on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
- A dominant pass rusher notched his twentieth sack of the season, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
- An international placekicker helped his team in a upset victory in rainy conditions.
- A offense that was shutout one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the next.
- A reeling franchise watched its star quarterback come back from injury, only to exit the contest again with a similar injury.
