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Every contest counts from here on in, with several massive conclusions in week 14 that may determine postseason spots come the end of the campaign.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers landed a significant blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, while Josh Allen virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston defense posed a significant problem and may have concluded the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes era.

The Breakdown: Divisional Showdowns Live Up To the Expectations

Three critical divisional battles lived up to the hype.

Seasoned quarterback Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, steered his team to a gritty close success in on the road. He notched his initial running score in almost three seasons, but it was his deep passes to his top wideout that proved to be the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of kilter as his team missed crucial chances—though they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter touchdown being nullified. The two teams are scheduled to face off once more on the last day of the regular season.

In another, the oldest feud in the league witnessed a classic contest. Even with touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to halt another late-game comeback from the visiting young QB in the freezing weather.

This result gave one team a slender lead in their NFC North, whereas the losers fell from the NFC's top spot all the way to seventh.

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

Projections give the Kansas City only a fifteen percent chance of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the first missed post-season for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.

During his seven full years as a starter, he has advanced to 7 conference championship contests and 5 championship games. That means the club has played nearly every possible game during his time.

So, the causes for this year's failure are clear and were highlighted during the recent defeat. Injuries decimated an already questionable offensive line, with multiple starters out.

Despite that, Mahomes gave his squad a chance, however missed field goals and crucial dropped passes—such as on a decisive fourth-down play—sealed their downfall.

Spotlight: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?

Two powerhouse contenders from the West Coast divisions are making strong cases for Super Bowl contention.

One squad, atop their conference, won the last Super Bowl held at February's stadium. They are constructed on a dominant defense that leads the NFL in sacks and wins through methodical, long possessions.

The other team, atop the NFC, showcased an high-powered offense capable of scoring from anywhere. They feature a two-headed running game to complement an exceptional passing game.

A key matchup would be whether the high-flying offence can solve the relentless pass rush of the top defensive unit—a a fascinating potential showdown.

Talking Point: Travis Kelce Pondering Calling It Quits?

Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime tight end fueled speculation about a potential retirement.

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

"The tight end will have the choice to do what he chooses to do after this campaign," he added. Should the year concludes early for the Chiefs, the 3x Super Bowl winner could choose to retire.

Looking Ahead: Bills vs. New England Highlights Week 15

Josh Allen did it all again for Buffalo in a wintry victory. Allen passed for three touchdowns and ran for one more, accounting for a staggering portion of his team's overall scores this season.

He is the only player in NFL annals with three thousand passing yards, twenty TD throws and ten rushing scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.

Now, he puts the Bills on his back again as they aim to chase down their division rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, they are exactly who they face this coming Sunday.

Major Week 15 Matchups:

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

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one offense.
• A star receiver scored two scores and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A feared defensive end notched his twentieth sack of the campaign, closing in of the single-season mark.
• An international placekicker helped his squad in a surprise victory in soggy conditions.
• A team that was held scoreless one week responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
• A struggling team watched its franchise QB come back from an elbow issue, only to leave the game again with a similar ailment.