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Every matchup matters from here on in, with several enormous outcomes in week 14 that could decide play-off positions come the end of the year.

A 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers dealt a major setback to Lamar Jackson's postseason aspirations, while the Buffalo Bills quarterback virtually ended the Cincinnati Bengals' chances. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans defense posed a huge challenge and may have concluded the Kansas City Chiefs campaign sooner than ever before in the Mahomes tenure.

Divisional Analysis: Division Deciders Live Up To the Expectations

A trio of huge rivalry games did not disappoint.

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, steered his squad to a tough close win in on the road. The future Hall of Famer notched his first running touchdown in nearly three seasons, but it was his long passes to his star wideout that made the difference.

Lamar Jackson seemed out of kilter as his team missed key chances—although they were angry by a fourth-quarter touchdown being chalked off. The two franchises will meet again on the final weekend of the regular season.

Elsewhere, the longest-running feud in the NFL witnessed a thrilling contest. Even with touchdown deep passes, an worn-out defense had to thwart another late-game rally from the visiting young QB in the freezing conditions.

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

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

Statistical models assign the Chiefs only a fifteen percent chance of reaching the play-offs. Realistically, this will be the initial missed post-season for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first such for the organization in a ten years.

In his 7 full seasons as a starting quarterback, he has reached seven conference championship games and five championship games. That means the team has competed in almost every possible contest during his time.

Therefore, the causes for this year's struggles are evident and were summed up during the recent loss. Injuries decimated an already questionable offensive line, with multiple key players missing.

Even then, the quarterback gave his squad a fighting chance, however failed field goals and crucial dropped passes—such as on a pivotal fourth-down attempt—sealed their downfall.

In Focus: Could the Super Bowl Be Destined for the West?

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

One team, leading their conference, claimed the last title played at this year's stadium. They are built on a dominant defense that tops the NFL in sacks and victories through methodical, long possessions.

The second contender, atop the other conference, showcased an dynamic offence capable of scoring from anywhere. They boast a formidable ground attack to pair with an exceptional passing attack.

A key matchup would be if the high-flying offense can handle the relentless pressure of the top defensive unit—a a fascinating playoff showdown.

Discussion: Travis Kelce Pondering Calling It Quits?

Amid the fallout from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from the quarterback about his star tight end sparked talk about a possible departure.

Hearing him state, "each year... I try to cherish because you never know" definitely seemed like the QB was bracing for the 36-year-old to hang up his cleats.

"The tight end will have the choice to do whatever he chooses to do following this campaign," Mahomes continued. Should the season concludes early for the Chiefs, the 3x champion veteran might choose to retire.

Looking Ahead: Buffalo vs. Patriots Headlines the Upcoming Slate

Josh Allen put on a show once more for Buffalo in a wintry win. Allen threw 3 touchdowns and ran for another, accounting for a remarkable percentage of his offense's total touchdowns this year.

He is the first player in NFL annals with 3,000 passing yards, 20 TD passes and 10 rushing touchdowns in three straight campaigns.

Next, he puts the team on his back once more as they try to catch their division foes, the Patriots—coincidentally, that's precisely who they face next.

Major Week 15 Matchups:

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

Week 14 Statistical Highlights

• A kickoff runback for a 100-yard touchdown—the biggest play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one team.
• A star wide receiver caught two touchdowns and is still on course for a record-breaking 2,000-yard receiving.
• A dominant pass rusher notched his 20th QB sack of the campaign, closing in of the all-time record.
• An international placekicker played a key role for his team in a surprise win in rainy conditions.
• A offense that was held scoreless one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the following week.
• A reeling franchise watched its franchise quarterback return from injury, only to exit the contest once more with a similar ailment.