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Every matchup counts from here on in, with several huge outcomes in week 14 that might decide postseason spots by the end of the season.

A 42-year Aaron Rodgers struck a major blow to Lamar Jackson's play-off hopes, whereas Josh Allen virtually finished Joe Burrow's chances. At the same time, the Houston defense posed a huge problem and may have concluded the Chiefs' campaign sooner than ever in the Patrick Mahomes tenure.

The Breakdown: Division Showdowns Exceed the Hype

A trio of critical rivalry games delivered.

Seasoned quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing with a fractured wrist, steered his squad to a tough 27-22 win in Baltimore. He scored his initial running touchdown in nearly three seasons, however it was his deep passes to his top wideout that made the difference.

Lamar Jackson was out of sync as Baltimore missed crucial chances—though they were left fuming by a fourth-quarter score being nullified. The two teams are scheduled to face off again on the final day of the regular season.

In another, the oldest rivalry in the NFL saw a thrilling encounter. Despite touchdown deep passes, an exhausted defensive unit had to thwart another fourth-quarter rally from the opposing young quarterback in the frigid conditions.

This result handed one team a slender lead in their NFC North, while the losers plummeted from the NFC's top spot all the way to seventh.

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

Projections assign the Chiefs only a 15% chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, this will be the first missed post-season for star quarterback Patrick Mahomes—and the first for the franchise in a ten years.

During his seven full years as a starting quarterback, he has advanced to seven AFC Championship contests and five championship games. That means the team has competed in almost every available game throughout his time.

So, 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 several key players missing.

Even then, the quarterback provided his team a fighting chance, but failed kicks and critical drops—including on a key fourth-down attempt—sealed their fate.

In Focus: Is the Lombardi Trophy Be Destined for the Western US?

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

One squad, leading their conference, won the most recent title played at this year's stadium. They are constructed on a stifling defence that tops the NFL in quarterback takedowns and victories through grinding, long possessions.

The other team, leading the other conference, demonstrated an high-powered offense capable of putting points on the board from anywhere. They feature a two-headed running attack to pair with an elite aerial attack.

The question could be if the high-flying offence can solve the relentless pressure of the elite defense—what would be a must-watch playoff showdown.

Talking Point: Travis Kelce Considering Calling It Quits?

Amid the aftermath from the Kansas City's loss, remarks from Patrick Mahomes about his star teammate sparked speculation about a possible retirement.

Hearing him state, "each season... I try to appreciate since you never know" definitely seemed like he was bracing for the 36-year-old to call it a day.

"The tight end will have the choice to do whatever he wants to do after this campaign," Mahomes added. Should the year ends early for the Chiefs, the 3x Super Bowl winner could decide to retire.

Preview: Bills vs. Patriots Headlines Week 15

Josh Allen did it all again for Buffalo in a wintry win. He threw 3 scores and rushed for one more, responsible for a remarkable portion of his offense's total scores this season.

Allen is the first quarterback in NFL history with 3,000 passing yards, 20 touchdown throws and 10 running touchdowns in three consecutive campaigns.

Next, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders again as they aim to catch their AFC East foes, the Patriots—and, that's precisely who they play next.

Major Week 15 Matchups:

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

This Week's Stats, Records & Notes

• A kickoff return for a 100-yard score—the longest scoring play of the season—kick-started a scoring blitz for one team.
• A prolific receiver caught two touchdowns and remains tracking for a record-breaking 2,000-yard season.
• A dominant pass rusher recorded his 20th QB sack of the season, closing in of the all-time mark.
• An international kicker helped his team in a upset victory in rainy weather.
• A offense that was shutout one game responded with a clean sheet of its own the next.
• A reeling franchise saw its franchise quarterback come back from an elbow issue, only to exit the contest again with a related injury.