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Every contest is crucial from here on in, with several enormous conclusions in the fourteenth week that might settle postseason positions come the end of the season.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers landed a big blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off aspirations, while Josh Allen all-but finished the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. At the same time, the Houston defense posed a massive problem and could have finished the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes era.

Divisional Analysis: Division Showdowns Exceed the Expectations

Three massive divisional battles delivered.

Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a gritty close win in on the road. The future Hall of Famer scored his first running score in almost three seasons, however it was his deep throws to his top wideout that proved to be the deciding factor.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed crucial chances—although they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter score being overturned. The two teams will meet again on the last day of the season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the NFL witnessed a epic encounter. Even with touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to halt another late-game rally from the opposing rookie quarterback in the freezing conditions.

The result gave one side a slender lead in their NFC North, whereas the losers plummeted from the NFC's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.

In-Depth Look: Where Has It Gone Wrong for the Chiefs?

Statistical models give the Chiefs only a 15% chance of making the postseason. Realistically, this could be the first missed playoffs for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a decade.

During Mahomes' 7 full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven conference championship contests and 5 championship games. That indicates the team has played nearly every possible contest throughout his tenure.

So, the reasons for the current struggles are clear and were encapsulated during Sunday's defeat. Injuries ravaged an already struggling offensive line, with several key players out.

Despite that, Mahomes gave his team a fighting chance, but failed kicks and costly drops—including on a pivotal fourth down attempt—confirmed their downfall.

Spotlight: Is the Super Bowl Be Heading for the Western US?

A pair of top contenders from the West Coast divisions are building strong cases for championship contention.

One squad, leading their the AFC, won the last title held at this year's venue. They are constructed on a stifling defence that tops the league in sacks and victories through methodical, time-consuming drives.

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

A key matchup could be whether the potent offense could solve the smothering pressure of the elite defense—what would be a fascinating playoff showdown.

Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Retirement?

Amid the aftermath from the Chiefs' defeat, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his longtime tight end fueled rumors about a potential departure.

Listening to him state, "every season... I try to appreciate since you never know" certainly seemed like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.

"He will have the option to do whatever he wants to do after this campaign," he added. If the season concludes prematurely for the Chiefs, the three-time Super Bowl winner could choose to retire.

Preview: Bills vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate

Josh Allen did it all again for his team in a snowy victory. He threw 3 touchdowns and ran for another, responsible for a staggering percentage of his team's overall scores this year.

Allen is the first quarterback in NFL annals with 3,000 pass yards, twenty TD throws and 10 rushing scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.

Next, he puts the Bills on his shoulders again as they try to catch their division foes, the New England Patriots—and, that's exactly who they play next.

Key Upcoming Week Matchups:

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

This Week's Statistical Highlights

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest play of the season—kick-started a second-half onslaught for one team.
• A prolific wide receiver caught 2 touchdowns and is still tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
• A dominant pass rusher notched his 20th QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
• An overseas placekicker helped his team in a upset victory in soggy conditions.
• A offense that was held scoreless one week bounced back with a shutout of its own the next.
• A reeling franchise saw its franchise QB come back from injury, only to exit the game once more with a similar injury.