Each game counts from here on in, with some enormous conclusions in week 14 that may decide play-off berths come the conclusion of the campaign.
A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a significant setback to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason aspirations, while Josh Allen all-but ended the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defense posed a huge challenge and may have concluded the Chiefs' season sooner than ever before in the Mahomes era.
Divisional Analysis: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Hype
A trio of massive division clashes did not disappoint.
Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, competing with a injured wrist, steered his team to a tough close win in on the road. The future Hall of Famer notched his first running score in almost three seasons, however it was his long passes to his top wideout that made the deciding factor.
The Ravens' quarterback was out of sync as Baltimore failed to capitalize on crucial chances—although they were left fuming by a late score being overturned. The two franchises will meet again on the last day of the regular season.
Elsewhere, the oldest rivalry in the NFL witnessed a epic contest. Despite touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defense had to stop another late-game comeback from the opposing young QB in the freezing conditions.
The outcome handed one side a narrow advantage in their NFC North, whereas the losers fell from the NFC's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.
In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Chiefs?
Projections give the Kansas City only a fifteen percent probability of making the postseason. Realistically, this will be the first missed playoffs for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the organization in a decade.
In his seven complete years as a starter, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. This means the team has played nearly every possible contest throughout his tenure.
So, the reasons for this year's failure are apparent and were summed up during the recent loss. Absences ravaged an already struggling O-line, with multiple starters out.
Even then, the quarterback provided his squad a fighting chance, however failed kicks and costly dropped passes—such as on a pivotal fourth down attempt—sealed their downfall.
Spotlight: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Destined for the Western US?
A pair of top contenders from the western divisions are making compelling cases for Super Bowl contention.
One team, leading their the AFC, claimed the last Super Bowl played at this year's stadium. They are built on a dominant defence that tops the league in sacks and wins through methodical, time-consuming drives.
The other contender, leading the other conference, showcased an dynamic offence capable of scoring from any situation. They feature a two-headed running game to pair with an exceptional passing attack.
The question could be whether the potent offence could withstand the smothering pressure of the top defense—what would be a must-watch potential showdown.
Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Retirement?
Amid the fallout from the Chiefs' defeat, comments from the quarterback about his longtime tight end sparked talk about a possible retirement.
Hearing Mahomes say, "each year... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was preparing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.
"He will have the option to do whatever he wants to do after this season," Mahomes added. Should the season ends early for the Chiefs, the three-time champion veteran could decide to retire.
Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate
Josh Allen put on a show again for his team in a wintry win. He threw 3 scores and ran for another, accounting for a staggering percentage of his team's overall scores this year.
Allen is the only quarterback in NFL annals with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD passes and 10 running touchdowns in 3 consecutive campaigns.
Now, he puts the team on his shoulders once more as they aim to catch their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—and, they are precisely who they play next.
Major Upcoming Week Games:
- Bills @ Patriots
- Detroit Lions @ Rams
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
- Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Week's Statistical Highlights
- A kickoff return for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the year—sparked a second-half onslaught for one team.
- A star receiver caught 2 touchdowns and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
- A dominant pass rusher notched his 20th sack of the season, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
- An overseas kicker helped his team in a surprise victory in soggy weather.
- A team that was held scoreless one week responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
- A reeling team saw its star QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest again with a related ailment.
