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Every contest is crucial at this stage, with some huge results in week 14 that could settle postseason berths come the end of the year.

A 42-year-old veteran quarterback landed a major blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, whereas the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston defense presented a huge challenge and may have ended the Kansas City Chiefs campaign earlier than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Divisional Showdowns Exceed the Anticipation

Three huge rivalry games delivered.

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, guided his squad to a tough 27-22 success in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer scored his first running touchdown in nearly three years, however it was his long passes to his top receiver that proved to be the difference.

Lamar Jackson was out of sync as Baltimore failed to capitalize on key chances—though they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter touchdown being chalked off. These franchises will meet once more on the final weekend of the season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the league witnessed a classic contest. Even with scoring deep passes, an exhausted defense had to halt another fourth-quarter rally from the opposing young QB in the freezing weather.

This result gave one team a slender advantage in their division, whereas the losers fell from the conference's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.

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

Projections give the Kansas City only a fifteen percent probability of making the play-offs. Realistically, this will be the first missed playoffs for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a decade.

During Mahomes' seven full years as a starter, he has reached 7 AFC Championship contests and five championship games. This indicates the team has competed in nearly every possible contest throughout his tenure.

So, the causes for the current failure are evident and were encapsulated during the recent defeat. Absences decimated an already struggling offensive line, with several key players out.

Despite that, Mahomes gave his squad a chance, however missed kicks and critical drops—such as on a key fourth-down play—sealed their downfall.

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

A pair of top contenders from the West Coast divisions are building strong arguments for Super Bowl favorites.

One squad, atop their the AFC, claimed the most recent Super Bowl held at February's venue. They are built on a dominant defense that tops the league in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, long possessions.

The second contender, leading the other conference, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of scoring from anywhere. They boast a two-headed ground attack to complement an elite passing game.

A key matchup could be if the potent offense can solve the smothering pressure of the top defense—what would be a must-watch playoff matchup.

Discussion: A Star Tight End Pondering Calling It Quits?

Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, comments from the quarterback about his star tight end fueled rumors about a possible retirement.

Hearing Mahomes say, "each year... I try to appreciate since you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the choice to do what he chooses to do following this season," Mahomes continued. If the year concludes early for the Chiefs, the three-time champion winner might decide to walk away.

Preview: Bills vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate

Josh Allen put on a show once more for Buffalo in a snowy victory. He passed for 3 scores and ran for one more, accounting for a remarkable percentage of his offense's overall scores this year.

Allen is the only player in NFL history with 3,000 pass yards, 20 TD throws and 10 rushing touchdowns in three straight seasons.

Now, he tries to carry the team on his back again as they aim to chase down their AFC East foes, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they play this coming Sunday.

Major Week 15 Games:

• Buffalo Bills @ Patriots
• Detroit Lions @ Rams
• Packers @ Broncos
• Chargers @ Chiefs

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard touchdown—the longest scoring play of the season—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A star receiver scored two scores and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
• A feared defensive end notched his twentieth sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time mark.
• An overseas placekicker helped his team in a surprise victory in rainy conditions.
• A team that was shutout one week responded with a shutout of its own the next.
• A reeling team saw its franchise QB return from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest again with a related ailment.