Look, by the time December hits, everyone thinks they’ve got the league figured out. You see the records, you see the point spreads, and you assume you know who’s heading for a first-round bye. But NFL games for week 14 are historically where the wheels fall off for the "sure things."
This past December 2025 was no different.
If you were watching the scoreboard on Sunday, December 7th, you saw the absolute chaos that defines late-season football. We had division leaders stumbling, backup quarterbacks looking like All-Pros, and the kind of weather in Buffalo that makes you wonder why anyone lives north of the Mason-Dixon line. Honestly, if you bet on the favorites across the board, your bank account probably took a massive hit.
The Massive Sunday Night Meltdown in Kansas City
The headline of the week was supposed to be the Kansas City Chiefs asserting dominance over the Houston Texans. Instead, it turned into a nightmare for the Arrowhead faithful. The Chiefs came into that game at 6-6, desperately clawing to stay in the AFC playoff hunt.
C.J. Stroud didn't care about their desperation.
Stroud, looking fully recovered from his earlier injuries, absolutely dismantled a Kansas City secondary that looked tired. The Texans walked out with a 23-19 win, pushing their winning streak to four games. Meanwhile, the Chiefs dropped to 6-7, marking the first time in over a decade that a Patrick Mahomes-led team looked genuinely in danger of missing the postseason entirely. It’s wild to think about, but the "dynasty" felt very human that night.
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Why divisional matchups changed everything
You’ve probably heard the old cliché that you can "throw out the records" during rivalry games. Usually, that’s just something announcers say to keep people from changing the channel during a blowout. In Week 14, it was actually true.
Take the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. The league actually flexed this game to 4:25 p.m. ET because the stakes were so high. The Bears were sitting at the top of the NFC North, but Jordan Love and the Packers played like a team with nothing to lose.
The Fox Flex and the Frozen Tundra
- Original Slot: 1:00 p.m. ET
- Final Result: Packers 26, Bears 21
- The Impact: This loss prevented Chicago from locking up the No. 1 seed early and gave Green Bay a massive boost in the Wild Card race.
It wasn't just the NFC North getting weird. Over in the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens took care of business against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 26-22 win. But it wasn't easy. Lamar Jackson had to scramble for his life because the Steelers' pass rush—even in a "down" year for Pittsburgh—is still a terrifying group of humans.
The Monday Night Wrist Injury That Shook the AFC
If you stayed up for the Monday night cap between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Chargers, you saw one of the gutsiest performances of the year. But it came at a price.
Justin Herbert entered the game with a TBD status after undergoing surgery on a broken left wrist just a week prior. He played. He was clearly in pain. He still nearly led a comeback, but the Eagles escaped SoFi Stadium with a 22-21 victory.
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The fallout from this game was huge. With the win, Philly stayed alive in the race for the NFC East, but the Chargers' loss—combined with Herbert’s health—basically signaled the end of their run as a serious threat in the West. It's kinda sad seeing a talent like Herbert hampered by something as fluky as a wrist injury during the most important stretch of the calendar.
What happened with the bye weeks?
A lot of casual fans forget that Week 14 was actually the final week for byes. If you were looking for your favorite stars from these teams, they were probably on a beach somewhere:
- New England Patriots
- San Francisco 49ers
- New York Giants
- Carolina Panthers
Having the 49ers on a bye was a massive storyline because they were neck-and-neck with the Seahawks for the NFC West. While San Francisco rested, the Seattle Seahawks went into Atlanta and handled the Falcons 29-17. That gave Seattle the breathing room they needed before the final three-week sprint.
Real talk on the "Fire Tomlin" chants
We have to address the elephant in the room. After the Steelers lost to the Bills (a 34-18 thumping where Joe Burrow’s Bengals also struggled against Buffalo later), the "Fire Tomlin" chants reached a fever pitch.
It happens every year.
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People get frustrated with the lack of playoff success, but they forget how hard it is to stay competitive with the roster turnover Pittsburgh has seen. The Week 14 loss was ugly, sure. But looking back from where we are now in January 2026, those calls feel a bit reactionary.
Strategy: How to handle late-season games
If you're looking at these trends to prepare for next season, there are a few things you basically have to keep in mind.
First, watch the injury reports like a hawk. In Week 14, the Arizona Cardinals were missing Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey Benson. They got waxed 31-15 by the Rams. You can’t lose that much explosive talent and expect to compete with Sean McVay’s offense.
Second, home-field advantage in December is real, but it's not a magic wand. The Chiefs lost at home. The Falcons lost at home. The Jaguars managed to beat the Colts 25-23 in Jacksonville, but it took a last-second field goal.
Basically, the "safe" bets don't exist in December.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Review the Final Standings: Go back and look at how these Week 14 results directly seeded the current 2026 playoff bracket. You'll see that the Bears' loss to the Packers is the reason they didn't have home-field advantage throughout.
- Analyze the Injury Trends: Note how many teams that were "healthy" in Week 14 (like the Texans) are the ones still playing deep into January.
- Watch the Replays: If you have NFL+, go back and watch the Houston vs. Kansas City game. It was a masterclass in how to beat a heavy favorite using a disciplined zone defense and a quick-release passing game.
The 2025-26 season has been a rollercoaster, and Week 14 was the loop-de-loop that sent several teams flying off the tracks. Understanding these mid-December collapses is the only way to truly appreciate the teams that actually make it to the Super Bowl.