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Every contest is crucial at this stage, with a number of massive conclusions in week 14 that might decide postseason spots come the end of the year.

A 42-year-old veteran quarterback struck a significant blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, while Josh Allen virtually ended the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defense posed a massive challenge and may have ended the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever in the Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Division Deciders Exceed the Expectations

A trio of critical rivalry games did not disappoint.

Seasoned quarterback Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, guided his squad to a gritty close victory in on the road. The future Hall of Famer recorded his initial running touchdown in almost three seasons, but it was his long passes to his top wideout that made the deciding factor.

The Ravens' quarterback was out of kilter as his team missed crucial chances—though they were angry by a fourth-quarter touchdown being overturned. These teams are scheduled to face off again on the final day of the season.

Elsewhere, the oldest rivalry in the NFL saw a thrilling contest. Even with scoring deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to stop another late-game comeback from the opposing rookie quarterback in the freezing conditions.

The outcome handed one side a narrow lead in their NFC North, while the losers plummeted from the conference's top spot down to outside the playoff picture.

Analysis: Where Has It Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?

Statistical models assign the Kansas City only a 15% chance of making the postseason. Realistically, this will be the first missed playoffs for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a ten years.

In Mahomes' seven complete years as a starter, he has reached 7 conference championship contests and five Super Bowls. That means the team has competed in nearly every available game during his time.

Therefore, the reasons for the current failure are evident and were summed up during Sunday's loss. Absences decimated an already dodgy O-line, with several key players out.

Even then, Mahomes provided his team a fighting chance, however failed field goals and costly drops—such as on a key fourth-down attempt—sealed their fate.

In Focus: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?

A pair of powerhouse contenders from the western divisions are making strong cases for Super Bowl contention.

One team, atop their the AFC, claimed the most recent Super Bowl held at this year's venue. They are constructed on a stifling defense that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through grinding, long drives.

The other contender, atop the other conference, demonstrated an high-powered offence capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a formidable ground game to pair with an exceptional aerial attack.

The question could be whether the high-flying offence can withstand the relentless pressure of the elite defense—what would be a fascinating playoff matchup.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Calling It Quits?

Among the fallout from the Chiefs' loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime tight end sparked speculation about a possible retirement.

Listening to him say, "each year... I try to cherish since you never know" certainly sounded like the QB was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.

"The tight end will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do following this season," he added. Should the year concludes early for the Chiefs, the three-time Super Bowl winner might decide to retire.

Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights Week 15

Josh Allen did it all once more for Buffalo in a wintry win. He passed for 3 touchdowns and rushed for one more, responsible for a staggering percentage of his team's overall touchdowns this year.

Allen is the only player in NFL history with three thousand passing yards, 20 touchdown throws and 10 running scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.

Now, he puts the team on his back once more as they aim to chase down their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—and, that's exactly who they face next.

Major Week 15 Games:

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

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the year—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
• A star wide receiver caught two scores and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
• A feared pass rusher recorded his 20th sack of the season, closing in of the all-time record.
• An overseas placekicker played a key role for his team in a surprise victory in rainy conditions.
• A team that was held scoreless one week responded with a shutout of its own the next.
• A reeling franchise saw its franchise quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest again with a similar injury.