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Every matchup is crucial down the stretch, with several enormous conclusions in the fourteenth week that may decide play-off positions come the conclusion of the campaign.

A 42-year Aaron Rodgers landed a big blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston defence posed a massive problem and may have ended the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Divisional Deciders Live Up To the Anticipation

Three massive division clashes did not disappoint.

Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, led his squad to a tough close win in on the road. He notched his first rushing touchdown in nearly three years, however it was his deep throws to his top wideout that proved to be the deciding factor.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed key opportunities—although they were angry by a late score being chalked off. These teams are scheduled to face off once more on the final day of the season.

In another, the longest-running feud in the league witnessed a thrilling contest. Even with touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defensive unit had to thwart another late-game rally from the opposing rookie quarterback in the freezing conditions.

The result handed one side a slender advantage in their division, while the losers dropped from the NFC's top spot down to outside the playoff picture.

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

Projections give the Chiefs only a fifteen percent probability of making the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a ten years.

In Mahomes' 7 complete seasons as a starting quarterback, he has reached 7 conference championship contests and 5 championship games. This indicates the team has competed in almost every available contest during his tenure.

Therefore, the causes for this year's failure are apparent and were summed up during the recent loss. Absences decimated an already struggling O-line, with several starters missing.

Despite that, the quarterback gave his squad a chance, but missed field goals and crucial dropped passes—including on a decisive fourth down attempt—confirmed their downfall.

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

Two top contenders from the western conferences are building strong arguments for Super Bowl contention.

One team, atop their conference, won the most recent title played at February's stadium. They are constructed on a dominant defense that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through methodical, long drives.

The other contender, atop the other conference, demonstrated an dynamic offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They boast a two-headed running attack to pair with an exceptional aerial game.

The question would be if the potent offense can handle the relentless pass rush of the elite defense—what would be a fascinating playoff matchup.

Talking Point: Travis Kelce Pondering Calling It Quits?

Among the aftermath from the Chiefs' defeat, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end sparked talk about a potential retirement.

Listening to Mahomes say, "every season... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was bracing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.

"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he wants to do following this campaign," he continued. Should the year concludes early for the team, the 3x Super Bowl veteran could choose to walk away.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate

The Bills' quarterback put on a show again for his team in a snowy victory. Allen passed for 3 touchdowns and ran for one more, responsible for a staggering percentage of his offense's total touchdowns this year.

He is the only quarterback in NFL annals with 3,000 pass yards, twenty TD passes and 10 running scores in three consecutive campaigns.

Next, he puts the team on his shoulders again as they aim to chase down their AFC East foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they face this coming Sunday.

Major Week 15 Matchups:

• Bills @ New England Patriots
• Lions @ Rams
• Packers @ Denver Broncos
• Los Angeles Chargers @ Chiefs

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kick-off runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one offense.
• A star wide receiver caught two touchdowns and remains tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A dominant defensive end notched his twentieth sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the all-time record.
• An overseas placekicker played a key role for his squad in a surprise win in rainy weather.
• A team that was held scoreless one week bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the next.
• A struggling team watched its franchise QB return from an elbow issue, only to leave the contest once more with a similar ailment.