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Every contest counts from here on in, with a number of enormous conclusions in week 14 that may decide postseason positions come the conclusion of the year.

A 42-year Aaron Rodgers dealt a big blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated Joe Burrow's chances. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence posed a huge problem and may have finished the Chiefs' season earlier than ever in the Patrick Mahomes era.

The Breakdown: Divisional Showdowns Exceed the Expectations

A trio of critical divisional battles lived up to the hype.

Seasoned quarterback Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, steered his team to a gritty close success in on the road. He scored his first running score in nearly three seasons, but it was his deep passes to his star receiver that proved to be the difference.

The Ravens' quarterback seemed off rhythm as his team missed crucial opportunities—although they were frustrated by a late touchdown being nullified. These franchises are scheduled to face off again on the last weekend of the regular season.

In another, the longest-running feud in the league witnessed a epic contest. Even with touchdown bombs, an exhausted defensive unit had to thwart another late-game rally from the visiting rookie QB in the freezing conditions.

This outcome gave one side a narrow lead in their NFC North, while the losers plummeted from the conference's top spot all the way to seventh.

Analysis: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?

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

During his 7 complete years as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven conference championship contests and five championship games. This means the team has competed in nearly each possible game throughout his time.

Therefore, the causes for this year's failure are apparent and were summed up during the recent loss. Absences ravaged an already questionable offensive line, with several starters out.

Despite that, the quarterback gave his team a fighting chance, however failed kicks and critical dropped passes—including on a decisive fourth-down attempt—confirmed their downfall.

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

Two top teams from the western divisions are building strong arguments for Super Bowl contention.

One squad, leading their conference, won the last Super Bowl held at February's venue. They are built on a stifling defense that leads the NFL in sacks and wins through grinding, long drives.

The second team, atop the NFC, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They boast a formidable running attack to pair with an exceptional passing attack.

A key matchup would be if the high-flying offence can solve the relentless pressure of the top defensive unit—what would be a must-watch playoff showdown.

Talking Point: Travis Kelce Pondering Retirement?

Among the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime tight end fueled rumors about a possible departure.

Listening to him state, "each year... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he chooses to do following this season," he added. If the year concludes prematurely for the team, the 3x Super Bowl winner might decide to walk away.

Looking Ahead: Bills vs. Patriots Highlights Week 15

The Bills' quarterback put on a show again for Buffalo in a snowy win. He threw 3 scores and rushed for another, accounting for a remarkable portion of his team's total touchdowns this year.

He is the only player in league history with three thousand passing yards, 20 TD passes and ten rushing scores in three consecutive seasons.

Now, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders again as they try to catch their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots—and, that's precisely who they face this coming Sunday.

Major Upcoming Week Games:

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

This Week's Statistical Highlights

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one team.
• A star wide receiver scored 2 touchdowns and remains tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
• A feared defensive end notched his 20th QB sack of the season, closing in of the all-time mark.
• An overseas placekicker played a key role for his team in a upset victory in soggy weather.
• A offense that was held scoreless one game bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
• A struggling team watched its star quarterback come back from injury, only to exit the game once more with a related injury.