🔗 Share this article Aaron Rodgers Sustains Playoff Aspirations Alive, But Could This Be The Conclusion for the Chiefs? Top Stories from NFL the Fourteenth Week Each game counts from here on in, with some enormous conclusions in the fourteenth week that may decide postseason spots come the end of the campaign. A 42-year veteran quarterback landed a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, whereas Josh Allen virtually ended the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. At the same time, the Houston defense presented a significant problem and may have finished the Chiefs' season earlier than ever before in the Mahomes era. The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Anticipation A trio of massive divisional battles lived up to the hype. Veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a hard-fought 27-22 win in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer scored his first rushing score in nearly three seasons, but it was his long passes to his top receiver that made the deciding factor. The Ravens' quarterback seemed off rhythm as his team missed key opportunities—although they were angry by a fourth-quarter score being nullified. These teams will meet once more on the last day of the regular season. In another, the longest-running feud in the league saw a epic contest. Even with scoring bombs, an worn-out defensive unit had to halt another late-game comeback from the opposing rookie QB in the frigid weather. The result handed one team a slender advantage in their NFC North, whereas the losers fell from the conference's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture. In-Depth Look: What Has Gone Wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs? Projections assign the Chiefs only a 15% probability of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this could be the first missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a ten years. In his 7 full seasons as a starter, he has reached seven conference championship games and 5 championship games. This indicates the club has competed in almost each available game throughout his time. Therefore, the reasons for this year's failure are clear and were encapsulated during Sunday's defeat. Absences decimated an already dodgy O-line, with multiple key players missing. Even then, the quarterback gave his squad a chance, but failed field goals and crucial dropped passes—including on a pivotal fourth down attempt—sealed their downfall. In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Heading for the Western US? Two top contenders from the West Coast conferences are making compelling arguments for championship favorites. One squad, atop their the AFC, won the most recent Super Bowl held at this year's venue. They are constructed on a dominant defense that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through methodical, time-consuming possessions. The other contender, atop the other conference, showcased an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a two-headed ground game to pair with an elite aerial game. A key matchup could be whether the potent offence can solve the smothering pressure of the elite defensive unit—a a fascinating playoff matchup. Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement? Amid the aftermath from the Chiefs' loss, remarks from the quarterback about his star teammate fueled talk about a potential departure. Listening to Mahomes say, "every season... I try to cherish because you never know" certainly seemed like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats. "The tight end will have the option to do whatever he wants to do after this season," Mahomes added. Should the season ends prematurely for the Chiefs, the three-time Super Bowl veteran could choose to retire. Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate Josh Allen put on a show again for Buffalo in a snowy win. Allen threw 3 touchdowns and ran for another, accounting for a staggering portion of his team's total touchdowns this season. Allen is the first quarterback in NFL annals with 3,000 pass yards, 20 touchdown passes and ten rushing scores in 3 straight seasons. Next, he puts the team on his shoulders once more as they try to catch their division foes, the New England Patriots—and, they are precisely who they play next. Key Upcoming Week Matchups: Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots Detroit Lions @ Rams Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense. A star receiver caught 2 touchdowns and remains tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season. A feared pass rusher notched his twentieth QB sack of the season, closing in of the single-season record. An overseas placekicker helped his squad in a surprise win in rainy conditions. 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 quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the game again with a related injury.