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After a resounding Week 15 victory, the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Kansas City to take on the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. In a week that has been tumultuous with COVID cases and injuries, the game plans for both teams have most likely changed daily leading up to kickoff. At this point in the season, this game is a must-win for the Steelers, as the Chiefs are looking to clinch their division. With both teams starting to click at the right time, this game is definitely going to live up to the hype.
Let’s take a look at some things we can look forward to on Sunday.
Offense: To keep it short and sweet, the Steelers’ offense is going to need to score more than 19 points to beat the Chiefs. But with that said, offensive coordinator Matt Canada is going to have a tough time with taking advantage of a poor Chiefs’ pass defense versus running the ball to keep the Chiefs’ offense off the field. Therefore the biggest matchup I’m watching is Ben Roethlisberger versus the Chiefs’ pass rush. I know that seems pretty basic, but seeing as though the game flows through Roethlisberger, he will be the one to dictate the tempo on offense. I also expect a heavy dose of Najee Harris, both in rushing and passing, to maintain a methodical offensive scheme. Finally, the Steelers have to take advantage of turnovers. The Steelers were only able to score 12 points off takeovers last week and to beat the Chiefs, the Steelers need to score touchdowns instead of field goals.
Defense: Where do you start in game preparation against the Chiefs’ offense? This is by far the toughest offensive opponent the Steelers’ defense will face the entire season. With the likes of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce possibly missing the contest due to COVID, the Steelers’ defense can pay more attention to Patrick Mahomes and containing him. So the matchup I’m watching is the Steelers’ pass rush versus Mahomes, especially on third down. Mahomes is known for escaping the pocket and making crazy throws downfield. TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Cam Heyward are going to need to contain Mahomes to help take the pressure off the Steelers’ secondary. In addition, the Steelers’ defense needs to get off the field on third down. Last week against the Tennessee Titans, the Steelers were beat on multiple third-and-short situations. This will not bode well against the Chiefs. Bottom line, the Steelers’ pass rush needs to get after Mahomes and they need to minimize Chiefs’ third-down conversions.
This is definitely going to be a tough game for both teams. In the preseason, I predicted a narrow Steelers win, but seeing how this season has gone, I’m a bit more hesitant. Call me pessimistic, but I simply don’t see the Steelers’ offense hanging with the Chiefs. Prediction, 42-21, Chiefs.
The Steelers hold a 23-12 all-time record against the Chiefs. Oddly enough, the Steelers have performed well at Arrowhead Stadium, which is one of the toughest venues in the entire NFL. The last time the Steelers lost in Arrowhead was in 2015 when Landry Jones started at quarterback. Since 2000, the Steelers are 4-3 on the road against the Chiefs. Roethlisberger hasn’t lost to the Chiefs on the road since 2009, in a game where he threw almost 400 yards with 3 touchdowns. This just drives home the fact that he’ll need a similar performance this week to give the Steelers a chance to win the game.
What are you watching for on Sunday? What do you think the final outcome will be? Let us know in the comments below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
Let’s take a look at some things we can look forward to on Sunday.
MATCHUPS AT A GLANCE
Offense: To keep it short and sweet, the Steelers’ offense is going to need to score more than 19 points to beat the Chiefs. But with that said, offensive coordinator Matt Canada is going to have a tough time with taking advantage of a poor Chiefs’ pass defense versus running the ball to keep the Chiefs’ offense off the field. Therefore the biggest matchup I’m watching is Ben Roethlisberger versus the Chiefs’ pass rush. I know that seems pretty basic, but seeing as though the game flows through Roethlisberger, he will be the one to dictate the tempo on offense. I also expect a heavy dose of Najee Harris, both in rushing and passing, to maintain a methodical offensive scheme. Finally, the Steelers have to take advantage of turnovers. The Steelers were only able to score 12 points off takeovers last week and to beat the Chiefs, the Steelers need to score touchdowns instead of field goals.
Defense: Where do you start in game preparation against the Chiefs’ offense? This is by far the toughest offensive opponent the Steelers’ defense will face the entire season. With the likes of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce possibly missing the contest due to COVID, the Steelers’ defense can pay more attention to Patrick Mahomes and containing him. So the matchup I’m watching is the Steelers’ pass rush versus Mahomes, especially on third down. Mahomes is known for escaping the pocket and making crazy throws downfield. TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Cam Heyward are going to need to contain Mahomes to help take the pressure off the Steelers’ secondary. In addition, the Steelers’ defense needs to get off the field on third down. Last week against the Tennessee Titans, the Steelers were beat on multiple third-and-short situations. This will not bode well against the Chiefs. Bottom line, the Steelers’ pass rush needs to get after Mahomes and they need to minimize Chiefs’ third-down conversions.
PREDICTION
This is definitely going to be a tough game for both teams. In the preseason, I predicted a narrow Steelers win, but seeing how this season has gone, I’m a bit more hesitant. Call me pessimistic, but I simply don’t see the Steelers’ offense hanging with the Chiefs. Prediction, 42-21, Chiefs.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Steelers hold a 23-12 all-time record against the Chiefs. Oddly enough, the Steelers have performed well at Arrowhead Stadium, which is one of the toughest venues in the entire NFL. The last time the Steelers lost in Arrowhead was in 2015 when Landry Jones started at quarterback. Since 2000, the Steelers are 4-3 on the road against the Chiefs. Roethlisberger hasn’t lost to the Chiefs on the road since 2009, in a game where he threw almost 400 yards with 3 touchdowns. This just drives home the fact that he’ll need a similar performance this week to give the Steelers a chance to win the game.
What are you watching for on Sunday? What do you think the final outcome will be? Let us know in the comments below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
