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Every contest counts from here on in, with some massive results in week 14 that could decide play-off berths by the end of the season.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers dealt a big blow to the Baltimore Ravens' play-off aspirations, while Josh Allen virtually terminated the Cincinnati Bengals' hopes. At the same time, the Houston Texans defence presented a significant problem and may have ended the Kansas City Chiefs season earlier than ever before in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Division Deciders Live Up To the Hype

A trio of critical rivalry games delivered.

Seasoned signal-caller Rodgers, competing with a fractured wrist, guided his squad to a tough 27-22 win in on the road. The future Hall of Famer scored his first running touchdown in nearly three years, but it was his deep throws to his star wideout that made the difference.

The Ravens' quarterback was out of kilter as his team missed crucial chances—though they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter touchdown being chalked off. These franchises are scheduled to face off again on the final day of the season.

In another, the longest-running rivalry in the NFL saw a classic encounter. Despite touchdown bombs, an exhausted defense had to stop another late-game rally from the visiting young quarterback in the frigid conditions.

The result handed one side a narrow lead in their division, while the defeated team fell from the conference's number one seed down to outside the playoff picture.

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

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

In his seven full years as a starter, he has advanced to seven conference championship games and 5 championship games. This means the team has played nearly each available game throughout his tenure.

So, the reasons for this year's struggles are clear and were summed up during the recent defeat. Injuries ravaged an already questionable O-line, with several starters missing.

Despite that, Mahomes provided his squad a chance, but failed kicks and costly dropped passes—including on a decisive fourth-down attempt—sealed their downfall.

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

A pair of powerhouse teams from the West Coast conferences are building compelling cases for Super Bowl contention.

One team, leading their conference, won the most recent Super Bowl held at this year's venue. They are constructed on a stifling defense that tops the NFL in sacks and victories through methodical, time-consuming drives.

The second contender, atop the NFC, demonstrated an explosive offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a formidable ground attack to complement an elite passing game.

A key matchup could be if the potent offence could handle the smothering pressure of the top defensive unit—what would be a fascinating potential matchup.

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

Among the aftermath from the Kansas City's defeat, remarks from the quarterback about his longtime teammate fueled talk about a potential retirement.

Listening to him state, "each year... I try to cherish since you never know" certainly seemed like he was preparing for the veteran to hang up his cleats.

"The tight end will have the option to do whatever he wants to do following this season," Mahomes added. If the year ends prematurely for the team, the three-time Super Bowl winner might decide to retire.

Preview: Bills vs. New England Highlights the Upcoming Slate

The Bills' quarterback put on a show once more for his team in a wintry victory. Allen threw three touchdowns and ran for one more, responsible for a staggering percentage of his team's overall touchdowns this year.

Allen is the first player in league annals with three thousand passing yards, twenty TD passes and ten rushing touchdowns in 3 straight seasons.

Now, he puts the team on his shoulders once more as they try to chase down their division foes, the New England Patriots—coincidentally, that's exactly who they face this coming Sunday.

Major Upcoming Week Games:

• Buffalo Bills @ Patriots
• Lions @ Rams
• Packers @ Broncos
• Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs

This Week's Statistical Highlights

• A kick-off return for a 100-yard score—the longest play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one offense.
• A star wide receiver caught two scores and remains on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A dominant pass rusher recorded his twentieth QB sack of the campaign, closing in of the all-time mark.
• An overseas kicker helped his squad in a surprise victory in rainy conditions.
• A offense that was shutout one game bounced back with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
• A reeling franchise saw its star quarterback return from injury, only to leave the game again with a similar injury.