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Each contest is crucial down the stretch, with some enormous conclusions in the fourteenth week that might determine postseason spots come the end of the campaign.

A 42-year Aaron Rodgers landed a big setback to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback all-but ended the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston defense presented a huge problem and could have finished the Kansas City Chiefs campaign earlier than ever in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.

Divisional Analysis: Divisional Showdowns Exceed the Anticipation

A trio of critical rivalry games delivered.

Seasoned signal-caller Rodgers, playing with a injured wrist, steered his squad to a tough 27-22 victory in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer notched his first running score in nearly three seasons, however it was his deep passes to his star receiver that proved to be the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of kilter as Baltimore failed to capitalize on key chances—although they were frustrated by a fourth-quarter score being overturned. These teams are scheduled to face off once more on the final weekend of the season.

Elsewhere, the oldest feud in the NFL witnessed a classic encounter. Despite scoring deep passes, an worn-out defense had to stop another fourth-quarter comeback from the visiting young quarterback in the freezing weather.

The outcome handed one team a slender advantage in their division, while the losers plummeted from the conference's number one seed all the way to outside the playoff picture.

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

Statistical models assign the Chiefs only a fifteen percent chance of making the postseason. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a ten years.

During his 7 full years as a starter, he has reached 7 AFC Championship contests and 5 championship games. That indicates the team has competed in almost every possible game throughout his tenure.

So, the causes for the current failure are clear and were summed up during Sunday's loss. Absences ravaged an already dodgy offensive line, with multiple starters missing.

Despite that, Mahomes provided his team a fighting chance, but missed kicks and costly dropped passes—such as on a pivotal fourth-down attempt—confirmed their downfall.

Spotlight: Is the Super Bowl Be Heading for the West?

Two top teams from the West Coast conferences are building strong arguments for championship favorites.

One squad, atop their conference, claimed the last title held at this year's venue. They are constructed on a stifling defense that tops the NFL in quarterback takedowns and wins through methodical, time-consuming drives.

The other contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offence capable of scoring from any situation. They boast a formidable ground game to pair with an elite aerial attack.

A key matchup could be if the potent offense can handle the relentless pass rush of the top defensive unit—what would be a must-watch playoff matchup.

Discussion: A Star Tight End Considering Calling It Quits?

Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate sparked speculation about a potential departure.

Listening to him state, "every year... I try to cherish since you never know" certainly seemed like the QB was preparing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the choice to do what he wants to do following this campaign," Mahomes continued. If the season concludes early for the Chiefs, the three-time champion veteran might decide to retire.

Preview: Bills vs. New England Highlights Week 15

The Bills' quarterback did it all once more for his team in a wintry victory. Allen passed for 3 touchdowns and rushed for another, responsible for a remarkable percentage of his team's overall scores this year.

Allen is the only player in league history with 3,000 passing yards, 20 touchdown throws and ten rushing scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.

Next, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders once more as they try to catch their AFC East rivals, the Patriots—coincidentally, that's exactly who they play this coming Sunday.

Major Week 15 Matchups:

• Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots
• Detroit Lions @ Rams
• Green Bay Packers @ Broncos
• Chargers @ Chiefs

This Week's Statistical Highlights

• A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the biggest scoring play of the season—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A star wide receiver scored two scores and is still tracking for a historic 2,000-yard season.
• A feared pass rusher notched his twentieth QB sack of the season, moving within reach of the all-time record.
• An international placekicker played a key role for his squad in a surprise victory in rainy conditions.
• A team that was shutout one week bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the next.
• A reeling franchise saw its star QB come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the game once more with a related ailment.