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Each matchup counts at this stage, with some enormous outcomes in week 14 that might settle postseason positions come the end of the season.

A 42-year Aaron Rodgers struck a big blow to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually finished Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defense posed a huge challenge and may have concluded the Chiefs' season sooner than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Live Up To the Expectations

A trio of massive rivalry games lived up to the hype.

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, guided his squad to a hard-fought 27-22 win in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer recorded his initial running score in nearly three years, but it was his long throws to his star receiver that proved to be the difference.

The Ravens' quarterback was out of sync as Baltimore missed crucial chances—though they were angry by a late score being overturned. These teams will meet once more on the final day of the season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the NFL witnessed a classic contest. Even with scoring deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to thwart another fourth-quarter rally from the visiting young quarterback in the freezing conditions.

This outcome gave one side a slender lead in their NFC North, whereas the defeated team dropped from the conference's number one seed all the way to outside the playoff picture.

In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?

Projections give the Kansas City only a 15% chance of reaching the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed playoffs for franchise QB Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a decade.

In Mahomes' seven complete seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 conference championship contests and 5 Super Bowls. That indicates the team has competed in almost each available game throughout his time.

Therefore, the reasons for this year's struggles are clear and were summed up during Sunday's defeat. Absences decimated an already dodgy O-line, with multiple key players missing.

Even then, the quarterback provided his team a chance, however failed field goals and crucial dropped passes—including on a pivotal fourth down play—confirmed their downfall.

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

Two top contenders from the West Coast conferences are building compelling cases for championship favorites.

One squad, leading their conference, won the last Super Bowl held at February's stadium. They are constructed on a dominant defence that leads the NFL in sacks and victories through grinding, time-consuming possessions.

The second contender, leading the NFC, demonstrated an dynamic offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a formidable ground attack to pair with an elite aerial attack.

The question would be if the potent offense can solve the relentless pass rush of the top defensive unit—a a must-watch potential showdown.

Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Calling It Quits?

Amid the fallout from the Chiefs' defeat, comments from the quarterback about his star teammate sparked speculation about a possible departure.

Listening to Mahomes state, "every season... I try to appreciate since you never know" definitely sounded like he was preparing for the veteran to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he chooses to do following this season," Mahomes continued. If 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

The Bills' quarterback did it all again for Buffalo in a snowy victory. He passed for 3 scores and rushed for another, accounting for a remarkable percentage of his team's overall scores this season.

He is the only quarterback in NFL history with three thousand pass yards, 20 TD throws and 10 running touchdowns in 3 consecutive campaigns.

Now, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders once more as they try to catch their AFC East foes, the Patriots—and, that's exactly who they play next.

Key Upcoming Week Games:

• Bills @ Patriots
• Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
• Packers @ Broncos
• Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs

Week 14 Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one offense.
• A prolific receiver caught 2 touchdowns and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A feared defensive end notched his twentieth sack of the campaign, moving within reach of the all-time record.
• An overseas kicker played a key role for his squad in a surprise victory in rainy weather.
• A team that was shutout one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
• A struggling team saw its franchise quarterback return from injury, only to leave the contest again with a related ailment.