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Every matchup counts down the stretch, with several enormous conclusions in week 14 that could determine postseason berths by the conclusion of the campaign.

A 42-year-old veteran quarterback dealt a major setback to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually ended Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defence presented a significant problem and may have concluded the Chiefs' season earlier than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Hype

A trio of critical division clashes delivered.

Seasoned signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, guided his team to a hard-fought 27-22 success in on the road. The future Hall of Famer scored his initial rushing score in nearly three years, however it was his long throws to his star wideout that proved to be the deciding factor.

The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of sync as Baltimore failed to capitalize on crucial opportunities—although they were left fuming by a late touchdown being chalked off. These teams will meet again on the last day of the season.

Elsewhere, the oldest feud in the league witnessed a thrilling encounter. Despite scoring bombs, an exhausted defense had to halt another fourth-quarter comeback from the opposing rookie QB in the frigid weather.

The result handed one team a slender advantage in their NFC North, while the defeated team dropped from the conference's number one seed all the way to seventh.

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

Projections assign the Chiefs only a fifteen percent chance of making the postseason. Realistically, this could be the initial missed post-season for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a decade.

During his 7 complete years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 AFC Championship contests and five Super Bowls. This indicates the club has competed in nearly each available contest during his time.

Therefore, the causes for the current failure are clear and were encapsulated during Sunday's defeat. Injuries decimated an already dodgy offensive line, with several starters missing.

Despite that, Mahomes gave his team a fighting chance, however failed field goals and crucial dropped passes—including on a key fourth-down attempt—confirmed their fate.

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

A pair of powerhouse teams from the West Coast divisions are building compelling arguments for championship contention.

One team, leading their conference, claimed the most recent Super Bowl held at this year's stadium. They are built on a stifling defence that leads the NFL in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, long possessions.

The second team, leading the NFC, demonstrated an dynamic offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They boast a two-headed running game to pair with an elite aerial attack.

A key matchup would be if the high-flying offense can withstand the relentless pass rush of the elite defense—what would be a fascinating potential matchup.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement?

Amid the fallout from the Chiefs' loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime teammate sparked talk about a possible retirement.

Listening to him state, "every year... I try to appreciate since you never know" certainly seemed like the QB was preparing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.

"He will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do after this season," Mahomes added. If the season ends early for the team, the three-time Super Bowl veteran could decide to walk away.

Preview: Bills vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15

The Bills' quarterback did it all once more for Buffalo in a wintry victory. Allen threw three touchdowns and ran for another, accounting for a staggering portion of his offense's total scores this year.

He is the only player in NFL history with 3,000 pass yards, 20 TD passes and ten rushing scores in 3 consecutive seasons.

Next, he puts the team on his back again as they try to chase down their division foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are precisely who they play next.

Major Week 15 Matchups:

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

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one offense.
• A star wide receiver scored two scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
• A dominant defensive end notched his 20th QB sack of the season, closing in of the single-season record.
• An international kicker helped his team in a surprise win in soggy conditions.
• A offense that was held scoreless one game responded with a shutout of its own the following week.
• A reeling franchise watched its star QB come back from an elbow issue, only to leave the game once more with a related ailment.