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Each contest matters from here on in, with some massive conclusions in the fourteenth week that could decide play-off berths come the end of the year.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers landed a major blow to the Baltimore Ravens' postseason hopes, whereas Josh Allen virtually ended the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. At the same time, the Houston defense presented a massive problem and may have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes era.

The Breakdown: Divisional Showdowns Live Up To the Hype

A trio of massive rivalry games delivered.

Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, led his team to a hard-fought close win in Baltimore. The future Hall of Famer notched his initial rushing touchdown in nearly three seasons, however it was his deep passes to his star receiver that made the deciding factor.

The Ravens' quarterback seemed out of sync as Baltimore missed key chances—though they were frustrated by a late touchdown being nullified. These teams will meet again on the final day of the regular season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running rivalry in the league witnessed a thrilling contest. Despite scoring deep passes, an exhausted defense had to halt another fourth-quarter rally from the opposing young quarterback in the freezing conditions.

This outcome handed one team a narrow advantage in their division, whereas the defeated team dropped from the conference's top spot all the way to outside the playoff picture.

Analysis: Where Has It Gone Awry for the Kansas City Chiefs?

Statistical models assign the Chiefs only a fifteen percent probability of reaching the play-offs. In all likelihood, this will be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a decade.

During his seven full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to 7 AFC Championship contests and 5 championship games. That means the team has played nearly every available contest during his tenure.

Therefore, the reasons for this year's failure are apparent and were highlighted during Sunday's loss. Absences ravaged an already struggling O-line, with several key players out.

Even then, the quarterback provided his squad a fighting chance, but failed field goals and crucial dropped passes—including on a key fourth down attempt—confirmed their fate.

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

Two top teams from the western divisions are making strong arguments for championship contention.

One squad, atop their the AFC, won the last Super Bowl played at February's venue. They are constructed on a stifling defense that leads the league in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, long possessions.

The other team, leading the other conference, demonstrated an explosive offence capable of putting points on the board from any situation. They feature a formidable ground game to pair with an elite aerial attack.

A key matchup could be whether the high-flying offense could handle the relentless pass rush of the top defensive unit—what would be a fascinating potential showdown.

Talking Point: A Star Tight End Pondering Calling It Quits?

Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star tight end fueled talk about a potential retirement.

Hearing Mahomes state, "each season... I try to cherish since you never know" certainly sounded like he was preparing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he chooses to do following this campaign," Mahomes continued. Should the season ends early for the Chiefs, the three-time champion winner could decide to walk away.

Preview: Bills vs. New England Headlines the Upcoming Slate

Josh Allen did it all once more for his team in a snowy win. He threw three scores and ran for one more, accounting for a remarkable portion of his offense's overall touchdowns this year.

He is the first quarterback in NFL history with three thousand passing yards, 20 TD throws and ten rushing scores in three straight seasons.

Now, he puts the team on his shoulders once more as they aim to chase down their division foes, the New England Patriots—and, that's exactly who they face next.

Key Upcoming Week Matchups:

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

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest scoring play of the season—sparked a scoring blitz for one team.
• A prolific wide receiver caught 2 touchdowns and is still on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A feared pass rusher notched his 20th sack of the season, moving within reach of the single-season mark.
• An international kicker played a key role for his squad in a upset victory in soggy conditions.
• A team that was shutout one game responded with a shutout of its own the following week.
• A reeling franchise watched its star QB come back from injury, only to exit the game once more with a related injury.