NFL Week 14 top storylines: Divisional showdowns and a playoff-like atmosphere in Kansas City
The final full month of the NFL regular season has arrived, and that means it’s crunch time.
Divisional crowns remain up for grabs, and playoff seeding is far from resolved. Coming up is one of the most hotly contested Decembers in recent memory.
This week’s docket kicked off with Thursday night’s matchup between the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys in which the Lions gave their playoff hopes a jolt and the Cowboys were left with their backs against the wall. The action resumes Sunday with 12 more contests — seven between divisional opponents.
The week concludes with Monday night’s showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles, who aim to rebound from last week’s loss to Dallas and remain in the driver’s seat of the NFC East, and the Los Angeles Chargers, who own an identical 8-4 record and hope to make up some ground on the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos.
Here are five of the most compelling storylines of Week 14.
Battered AFC North brawl
It’s a trying year for AFC North teams. The Pittsburgh Steelers got off to a 4-1 start while the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals battled injuries and the Cleveland Browns’ season quickly spiraled out of control. But the Steelers have since failed to string together consecutive victories, losing five of their last seven, including two straight. The Ravens used a five-game winning streak to save their season and overtake the Steelers for first place, but then got blown out by the Bengals on Thanksgiving. Now, the 6-6 Steelers and Ravens meet Sunday in Baltimore with the division lead up for grabs.
A battered Aaron Rodgers enters this game with intentions of keeping Pittsburgh in the fight. He’ll need some help, however, in the form of improved pass protection from his line, dependability from his pass catchers and some defining stops from his defense — all elements that have proved hard to come by for the Steelers as of late.
Across the way, Lamar Jackson and company aim to rebound from a turnover-plagued outing against Cincinnati. The Ravens’ offense added pressure to a defense that had played much better since the bye week, holding opponents to an average of 13.4 points and forcing two turnovers a game. But the Ravens surrendered 382 yards to Cincinnati, including 261 passing yards and two touchdown passes from Joe Burrow in his return from injury. Pittsburgh’s anemic offense doesn’t pose nearly the same kind of challenge, however, so the Ravens have the opportunity to get back on track defensively. And Jackson and the offense could take advantage of a Steelers defense that entered the week ranked No. 27 against the pass (247.4 yards per game) and No. 17 against the run (117.7 ypg). (Steelers at Ravens, 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday, CBS)
Duel of desperation
Neither Josh Allen nor Burrow anticipated finding themselves in such perilous positions this late in the season. But a 3-2 month caused the Buffalo Bills to drop all the way to the seventh spot in the AFC. And Burrow’s nine-game injury absence and a porous defense have placed the Bengals on the brink of elimination. Now these teams meet in Buffalo, each badly needing a victory to help stabilize its situation.
Catching the idle New England Patriots (winners of 10 straight) for the AFC East title seems challenging, but Buffalo can improve its positioning in the playoff race. Allen remains in need of consistency out of young wide receiver Keon Coleman. A James Cook outing similar to last week’s 32-carry, 144-yard showing against Pittsburgh could also ease pressure on the quarterback. On the surface, Cincinnati’s defense seems like the perfect victim given the Bengals’ last-place rankings in total defense, passing yards and points allowed. However, Cincinnati did turn Jackson and the Ravens over five times last week, and held Derrick Henry to 60 yards and denied Baltimore on seven of 10 third downs. Which unit shows up this week?
Meanwhile, Burrow’s return last week has sparked hope in Cincinnati. He did show some rust, completing only 52 percent of his passes. But he directed third-quarter scoring drives of 61 and 68 yards, and the Bengals snapped a four-game losing streak. In theory, the playoffs remain in reach. It may take winning out and some stumbles by Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but everyone in Cincinnati is highly motivated to do just that. Buffalo’s defense battles inconsistencies, but it is the top unit against the pass, holding foes to 163.2 yards per game and a 59.5 completion percentage. The Bills have surrendered just 12 touchdown passes and have eight interceptions. So, Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase will certainly face stiff competition. (Bengals at Bills, 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday, Fox)
Unlikely AFC South clash
Entering the season, you would’ve been hard-pressed to find any projections that counted the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars among the contenders in 2025. But both teams enter December very much in the playoff hunt. Indianapolis has led the AFC South for much of the season, but a stumble by the Colts and three-game surge by Jacksonville has now placed the Jaguars in first place, for now. These 8-4 teams meet Sunday in Jacksonville in a game that will give the victor a leg up in the division with four weeks left to go.
After an up-and-down first half of the season, the Jaguars emerged from their bye and have won four of their last five. Jacksonville’s offensive and defensive lines have paved the way for success. On offense, a physical front has led to success in the run game, which has ensured balance while also easing pressure on quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Defensively, the Jaguars have proved stout against the run, which has helped put foes in unfavorable down-and-distance situations and Jacksonville’s pass rushers and defensive backs in prime position for impact plays. The Jaguars have averaged 128.2 rushing yards per game in this 4-1 stretch while holding foes to just 70.2 per contest. A robust defensive effort against the run is a must this week if they aim to derail the Colts and running back Jonathan Taylor, who leads the NFL with 1,282 yards and 15 touchdowns rushing.
Taylor has topped the 100-yard mark five times this season, and has surpassed 120 yards in four of those contests. He also has five multi-touchdown games. Taylor’s production has helped set up Daniel Jones for a year of resurgence. Jones has eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark for only the third time in his career and has 19 touchdown passes (second-most since entering the league in 2019). Jones, however, is playing with a fracture in his fibula, which has limited his mobility and the number of rollouts the Colts used to position him for effectiveness. Jones is coming off two of his worst outings (losses to Kansas City and the Houston Texans) and last week completed just 51.9 percent of his passes, which factored in Indianapolis scoring a season-low 16 points. Can the Jaguars manage to harass the hobbled quarterback similarly to how the Texans did and render one of the league’s top-scoring offenses (29.8 points per game) ineffective? (Colts at Jaguars, 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday, CBS)
Daniel Jones’ fibula injury has limited his mobility. Can he still lead the Colts to an AFC South title? (Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
Northern rivalry renewed
Once a fierce rivalry, Bears–Packers hasn’t had much juice in recent history. In the last decade, Green Bay has owned Chicago, posting a 17-3 record. During that time, the Packers have reached the playoffs seven times while the Bears have done so just twice. Sunday, however, these familiar foes meet for a game that actually features massive implications. Chicago enters with a 9-3 record and in first place in the NFC North while Green Bay trails with an 8-3-1 record.
There’s a lot riding on this game. A win would give the Bears (winners of five straight and nine of their last 10) their biggest statement yet and a little cushion in the division standings, which they surprisingly lead. A Packers victory, however, would give them an edge entering the final stretch of the season. Green Bay (6 1/2-point favorite) also has a slightly more favorable remaining schedule than Chicago.
Prepare for all kinds of fireworks and an intriguing chess match between two of the brightest offensive minds in the game in Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur. But these defenses should not be overlooked. Chicago leads the NFL with 26 takeaways while the Packers hold opponents to just 18.8 points per game and boast a disruptive pass rush anchored by Micah Parsons. Green Bay’s defense also ranks among the best against the run (98.3 yards allowed), which could complicate matters for the Bears, whose 153.8 rushing yards per contest lead the NFC and rank second overall. (Bears at Packers, 4:25 p.m. (ET) Sunday, Fox)
Loser leaves town in KC?
When the season kicked off, the Chiefs and Texans were regarded as two of the leading potential contenders in the AFC. Both wound up stumbling out of the gates, however, and quickly lost ground as counterparts passed them by. Now as the fourth quarter of the season begins, each finds itself in dire situations. If the playoffs started today, both Kansas City (6-6) and Houston (7-5) would be on the outside looking in. Because of this, Sunday night’s meeting at Arrowhead Stadium should have a playoff-like atmosphere with the Chiefs and Texans each battling to keep hope alive.
The squads seemingly are trending in opposite directions. Kansas City has lost three of its last four games and is a distant third in the AFC West while Houston has won four straight and stands within striking distance of the Colts and Jaguars.
Despite their struggles, the Chiefs continue to field one of the most efficient offenses, ranking top five in yards, second in total EPA and ninth in points. However, Kansas City has struggled to deliver the explosive plays past iterations were known for, and the Chiefs’ defense — although stingy, holding foes to 19.3 points per game — also has struggled to consistently get off the field in key moments, ranking 25th on third downs. All of that makes for an extremely small margin for error, and during this 1-3 stretch, opponents have outscored the Chiefs 101-91.
Houston, meanwhile, has steadily improved offensively and has done a better job of complementing a fierce defense that has dominated potent offenses like those of Buffalo and Indianapolis. Kansas City has beaten Houston in the last five meetings, including in the divisional round of the playoffs in January. But in a league where the pack seemingly has caught up to the Chiefs, it’s anyone’s guess if Andy Reid and his offense can stay a step ahead of DeMeco Ryans and his defense and preserve Reid’s chances of taking Kansas City to the postseason for an 11th straight year. (Texans at Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. (ET) Sunday, NBC)
