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Every contest is crucial from here on in, with a number of enormous results in week 14 that might settle play-off spots come the conclusion of the campaign.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers struck a significant setback to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off hopes, while Josh Allen virtually ended Joe Burrow's hopes. Meanwhile, the Houston defence presented a significant challenge and could have finished the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes era.

Divisional Analysis: Division Deciders Exceed the Expectations

A trio of huge division clashes lived up to the hype.

Veteran quarterback Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, led his squad to a gritty close victory in Baltimore. He notched his first running score in almost three years, however it was his long throws to his top receiver that proved to be the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of sync as Baltimore failed to capitalize on key chances—although they were angry by a late touchdown being chalked off. These franchises are scheduled to face off again on the last day of the regular season.

In another, the longest-running feud in the NFL saw a thrilling contest. Despite touchdown bombs, an worn-out defense had to thwart another late-game comeback from the opposing rookie QB in the freezing conditions.

This outcome gave one side a narrow advantage in their NFC North, while the losers dropped from the conference's top spot down to outside the playoff picture.

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

Projections give the Kansas City only a fifteen percent chance of reaching the play-offs. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed playoffs for franchise QB Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the franchise in a decade.

In his 7 full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has reached 7 AFC Championship games and 5 Super Bowls. That means the club has played almost each possible contest during his tenure.

Therefore, the causes for the current failure are apparent and were encapsulated during Sunday's defeat. Injuries decimated an already questionable O-line, with several key players out.

Even then, the quarterback gave his team a fighting chance, however missed kicks and critical drops—such as on a decisive fourth down play—confirmed their downfall.

Spotlight: Could the Lombardi Trophy Be Heading for the West?

Two powerhouse teams from the western conferences are building compelling arguments for Super Bowl contention.

One squad, atop their the AFC, won the last title played at February's venue. They are constructed on a stifling defence that leads the NFL in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, long drives.

The other team, atop the NFC, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of scoring from any situation. They feature a formidable running game to pair with an exceptional aerial game.

A key matchup would be if the potent offense could withstand the relentless pass rush of the elite defense—what would be a must-watch potential matchup.

Talking Point: Travis Kelce Considering Retirement?

Amid the aftermath from the Chiefs' loss, comments from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end sparked talk about a possible departure.

Hearing Mahomes say, "every season... I try to cherish since you never know" definitely sounded like the QB was preparing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.

"The tight end will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do following this season," Mahomes continued. If the year ends early for the Chiefs, the 3x Super Bowl winner could choose to walk away.

Preview: Buffalo vs. New England Highlights Week 15

Josh Allen put on a show once more for Buffalo in a wintry win. Allen threw three scores and ran for one more, responsible for a remarkable portion of his team's overall touchdowns this season.

Allen is the first player in league history with 3,000 passing yards, twenty TD passes and 10 rushing scores in 3 consecutive campaigns.

Now, he puts the team on his back again as they aim to catch their division foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, that's exactly who they face this coming Sunday.

Key Week 15 Games:

• Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots
• Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
• Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
• Chargers @ Chiefs

This Week's Statistical Highlights

• A kick-off runback for a 100-yard score—the biggest play of the season—sparked a second-half onslaught for one offense.
• A prolific wide receiver caught 2 scores and is still on course for a historic 2,000-yard season.
• A feared pass rusher notched his twentieth QB sack of the season, closing in of the single-season record.
• An international kicker helped his team in a upset victory in soggy weather.
• A team that was held scoreless one week responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
• A reeling team saw its star quarterback return from injury, only to exit the contest again with a related ailment.