The (14-1) Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are spending Christmas Day in Acrisure Stadium, the place their Week 17 matchup in opposition to the (10-5) Pittsburgh Steelers might present them with the victory they should clinch the AFC’s No. 1 postseason seed — together with the perfect report in franchise historical past. However the Steelers aren’t going to make it simple: Pittsburgh wants a win to remain answerable for the AFC North.
First quarter
The Chiefs received the opening coin toss, deferring the choice of possession to the second half. That arrange the Steelers to start out with the ball, starting on the 30-yard line after a touchback.
The Steelers began with a seven-yard catch and run, however couldn’t advance from there. A run was stuffed on second down, then quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked on third down. Defensive finish Mike Danna was credited with a bull rush that compelled a fumble, recovered by Wilson.
Kansas Metropolis began with a powerful run by working again Isiah Pacheco, gaining eight yards on a shotgun handoff. Nonetheless, two different runs following the first-down burst had been stuffed, resulting in fourth and one. The Chiefs had to make use of a timeout, however did convert with working again Kareem Hunt working for 4 yards to the Steelers’ 29-yard line.
Two performs later, Mahomes took off previous the first-down marker and arrange the offense within the crimson zone. That’s the place the Chiefs went to vast receiver Xavier Worthy, utilizing his pace to win on a fast throw to the pylon and rating a landing. An unsportsmanlike conduct pushed the point-after try again, placing the Chiefs’ lead at 6-0.
Pittsburgh moved the chains on this drive, with working again Najee Harris slashing across the exterior for a 10-yard run. He was slowed on the following handoff, then Wilson was chased by defensive finish George Karlaftis for a sack on second down. That doomed the drive; the Steelers punted shortly after.
Beginning this drive pushed again, Mahomes initially gave the offense room to breathe with a scrambling floater to working again Samaje Perine that transformed a 3rd down. Then, vast receiver Justin Watson received deep down the sideline, gaining 49 yards and setting the Chiefs up on the 17-yard line.
Trying to rating, Mahomes went to vast receiver DeAndre Hopkins in a good window on first down. The throw to the tip zone fell incomplete, however two performs later, Mahomes transformed third down by discovering Watson previous the objective line. That gave the Chiefs a 13-0 lead.
The Steelers’ offense got here out firing on this possession, beginning out with a protracted completion to vast receiver George Pickens over cornerback Trent McDuffie. Then, working again Jaylen Warren ripped via each stage of the Chiefs’ protection for a 22-yard acquire. Out of the blue Pittsburgh was threatening within the crimson zone.
A landing was scored, then negated by penalty. That pushed Pittsburgh again, and the Chiefs took benefit: security Justin Reid jumped a route over the center, intercepting a cross ultimately zone to flip the momentum.
The Chiefs went three and out after the turnover, with a third-down cross practically being intercepted. That led to a punt again to Pittsburgh, and the tip of the primary quarter.
Second quarter
The Steelers’ offense picked up the rhythm it had previous to the interception final drive. Wilson chipped away on the Chiefs’ cross protection, then an explosive run by Warren gained 11 yards and set the drive up on the 22-yard line. To maintain the drive alive, Wilson threw previous the blitz and transformed a 3rd all the way down to the six-yard line.
On second and objective, Wilson took a bootleg to the left pylon and scored. That tightened the rating to 13-7.
The Chiefs went to the cross recreation to get this drive going. After two passes led to 3rd and 7, Mahomes discovered Worthy exterior to maneuver the chains. Then Brown discovered area to the opposite sideline, shifting into Pittsburgh territory. From there, the Chiefs bumped into fourth and one, changing just for a holding penalty to wipe it away. The Chiefs needed to punt.
With time working down within the first half, Pittsburgh began a drive with Wilson scrambling for 12 yards to transform third down. Nonetheless, the Chiefs’ protection stuffed back-to-back runs, resulting in a punt with roughly two minutes to go. The Chiefs had been referred to as for having 12 males on the sector throughout the punt, giving Pittsburgh the ball again on the two-minute warning.
The Chiefs’ protection responded to being thrown again on the sector properly, beginning with Mike Danna shutting down a first-down run. On third down, a deep cross was damaged up by cornerback Joshua Williams. The Steelers needed to punt again to the Chiefs with roughly a minute left.
Mahomes and the offense had been unable to do something with the late-half alternative. A brief cross to Worthy on third down was blown up by security Minkah Fitzpatrick. That gave the Steelers an opportunity with 30 seconds to go.
Pittsburgh ran out the clock from there, leading to a halftime rating of 13-7 within the Chiefs’ favor.
Third quarter
The Chiefs opened the second half with possession, beginning it off with a catch and run for 15 yards by Worthy. The rookie receiver adopted that up with a 21-yard acquire two performs later, pushing previous midfield. The Chiefs continued utilizing the cross recreation to march down the sector, however ran right into a wall within the crimson zone. The staff settled for a discipline objective, extending the Chiefs’ result in 16-7.
Particular Groups
Kicker Harrison Butker missed a point-after try early that was pushed again because of unsportsmanlike conduct being referred to as throughout after a landing. He made his second point-after try.
Punt returner Nikko Remigio gained 25 yards on his first return of the sport. Later within the first quarter, he returned a punt eight yards earlier than fumbling. The ball was recovered by security Deon Bush.
Punter Matt Araiza has two punts to this point, one leading to a touchback.
