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Every contest counts at this stage, with some huge conclusions in the fourteenth week that may settle postseason spots by the end of the campaign.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers dealt a big setback to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, while Josh Allen virtually ended the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defense posed a huge challenge and could have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever before in the Mahomes era.

The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Exceed the Hype

Three huge division clashes delivered.

Veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, led his squad to a tough close win in Baltimore. He scored his first rushing score in nearly three years, however it was his deep throws to his top receiver that made the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed off rhythm as Baltimore missed key opportunities—although they were angry by a fourth-quarter score being chalked off. These franchises are scheduled to face off again on the last day of the regular season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the NFL saw a epic contest. Even with touchdown bombs, an worn-out defense had to halt another fourth-quarter comeback from the opposing rookie quarterback in the freezing weather.

This result handed one side a slender advantage in their NFC North, while the losers fell from the conference's top spot down to seventh.

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

Statistical models give the Kansas City only a 15% chance of reaching the postseason. Realistically, this could be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a ten years.

During Mahomes' 7 complete years as a starter, he has reached seven conference championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. That means the club has competed in almost every possible game during his tenure.

So, the causes for the current failure are apparent and were encapsulated during Sunday's defeat. Absences ravaged an already dodgy O-line, with multiple starters missing.

Despite that, the quarterback gave his squad a chance, however missed field goals and critical drops—such as on a key fourth down play—confirmed their downfall.

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

Two top contenders from the western divisions are making compelling arguments for Super Bowl favorites.

One team, leading their conference, won the last title played at February's stadium. They are built on a stifling defence that leads the NFL in sacks and victories through grinding, time-consuming drives.

The other contender, leading the other conference, demonstrated an explosive offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They boast a two-headed running attack to pair with an elite passing game.

A key matchup could be whether the high-flying offense can handle the relentless pass rush of the top defense—what would be a fascinating playoff matchup.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement?

Among the fallout from the Chiefs' loss, comments from the quarterback about his longtime teammate fueled talk about a potential departure.

Hearing him say, "each season... I try to appreciate 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 choice to do whatever he chooses to do after this season," Mahomes continued. If the season ends prematurely for the Chiefs, the 3x Super Bowl winner might choose to walk away.

Preview: Buffalo vs. Patriots Highlights the Upcoming Slate

Josh Allen did it all again for Buffalo in a snowy win. Allen threw 3 scores and ran for another, responsible for a staggering portion of his team's overall touchdowns this season.

Allen is the only quarterback in league annals with 3,000 pass yards, 20 touchdown throws and 10 running touchdowns in 3 consecutive seasons.

Next, he tries to carry the Bills on his shoulders again as they try to catch their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, they are exactly who they face this coming Sunday.

Major Upcoming Week Matchups:

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

This Week's Statistical Highlights

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest scoring play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A star receiver scored 2 scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard receiving.
• A dominant pass rusher recorded his 20th sack of the season, closing in of the all-time mark.
• An overseas placekicker helped his squad in a upset win in soggy conditions.
• A team that was shutout one game bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
• A struggling franchise watched its star QB return from injury, only to exit the contest once more with a related ailment.