Week 17 brings yet another difficult matchup for the Steelers. On Christmas, they host the two-time defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Here’s everything you need to know about this one!
What: Kansas City Chiefs 14-1 at Pittsburgh Steelers 10-5
Where: Acrisure Stadium Pittsburgh, PA
When: Wednesday December 25th, 2024
Weather: 35 degrees and cloudy at kickoff. Winds light.
Surface: Natural Grass
Wagering Information: Chiefs -2.5 O/U 43.5
Last Week: The Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans 27-19 in Kansas City while the Steelers were beaten by the Ravens in Baltimore 34-17
TV: Netflix Ian Eagle (play-by-play), J.J. Watt (analysis), Nate Burleson (analysis)
Melanie Collins (field reporter)
TV Coverage in Your Area (courtesy 506sports.com): National TV Audience
Radio: Steelers Nation Radio/WDVE Rob King (play-by-play), Craig Wolfley (analysis). Max Starks (field reporter)
Westwood One Radio: J.P. Shadrick (play-by-play), Ross Tucker (analysis)
Head Official: Craig Wrolstad. He’s an Athletic Director who attended the University of Washington. This is his 11th season as a head official. He last officiated a Steelers’ game almost a year to the day when he oversaw the win over Cincinnati in Pittsburgh. Just five accepted penalties were called that day. Unfortunately his crew has called more penalties (227) than any other crew in the NFL. False start and offensive holding are the two most called infractions.
Key Injuries/Game Status (courtesy steelers.com) PIT: No. 2 QB Justin Fields (Abdominal) – Questionable, No. 15 WR Ben Skowronek (Hip) – Out, No. 24 CB Joey Porter Jr. (Knee) – Out KC: No. 27 DB Chamarri Conner (Concussion) – Out, No. 70 T D.J. Humphries (Hamstring) – Out, No. 95 DL Chris Jones (Calf) – Questionable, No. 74 T Jawaan Taylor (Knee) – Questionable
Injury Notes: George Pickens will play after a three-game absence… Skowronek’s absence wouldn’t have been a big deal several weeks ago but he’s become a dependable blocker and core Special Teamer. Someone has to step up… The Chiefs have struggled to stay healthy at tackle. They’ve started four different guys there so that’s something to keep an eye… If Chris Jones has to leave at any point in the game then that’s a huge development.
2024 NFL Ranks:
Total Offense: PIT 12th KC 11th
Passing Offense: PIT 25th KC 12th
Rushing Offense: PIT 11th KC 15th
Total Defense: PIT 6th KC 3rd
Passing Defense: PIT 20th KC 17th
Rushing Defense: PIT 8th KC 3rd
AFC North Standings:
Pittsburgh 10-5
Baltimore 10-5
Cincinnati 7-8
Cleveland 3-12
This Week in the AFC North: Baltimore at Houston 430omET Weds, Miami at Cleveland 405pmET
What You Need to Know: Since 1949, only two games in the NFL have been played on Wednesday. One of those was the Steelers and Ravens in 2020… Since 2007 (min 10 games), the Steelers are 15-3 the week after a loss of 17 points or more. That’s the best record in the NFL over that time… The Steelers are 8-1 when scoring first this season… Pittsburgh is 8-3 in day games this year…
Tomlin Time: Coach Tomlin is 5-4 all-time against the Chiefs… Andy Reid is 5-5 all-time versus the Steelers… Coach Reid (272) and Mike Tomlin (183) are the two winningest active coaches in the NFL… Coach T has 75 wins at home which leaves him 16 shy of Chuck Noll’s record 91.
Kansas City Chiefs Names to Know: QB Patrick Mahomes, DL Chris Jones, WR Xavier Worthy, TE Travis Kelce, WR DeAndre Hopkins, RB Isiah Pacheco, CB Trent McDuffie, K Harrison Butker, LB Nick Bolton
What’s at Stake: The Kansas City Chiefs can lock up home-field advantage with a win. The Steelers are looking to keep their division title hopes alive with a victory.
All-Time Series: Steelers lead 23-14 and lead all-time in Pittsburgh 11-5
Last Meeting: January 2022 in Kansas City. Chiefs 42 Steelers 21
Postseason History: Chiefs lead 2-1
Steelers Game Highs vs KC:
PASSING: 452 yards Ben Roethlisberger 09/16/2018
RUSHING: 179 yards Le’Veon Bell 10/15/2017
RECEIVING: 183 yards Louis Lipps 09/02/1984
SACKS: 3.0 Cameron Heyward 10/02/2016, Jack Lambert 12/05/1982, Gerald Williams 01/08/1994
INTERCEPTIONS: 2 Four times, Last: Mel Blount 11/16/1975
Check out the latest Steel City Blitz Steelers Podcast for more on the Steelers.
Three Things We Need to See for a Steelers’ Victory:
1. Stop the Mistakes. Was Russell Wilson being a competitor? Yes. Was he doing everything he could to win the game Saturday? Of course! But the turnovers… He doesn’t need me to tell him but facts are facts and he isn’t the only one. You can get away with a turnover here and there against average teams but mistakes against the Chiefs? Forget it. Bottom line is that the Steelers have to take care of the football and they can’t be baited into stupid penalties either.
2. Austin Has to Change Things Up. It really doesn’t matter at this point because Patrick Mahomes has seen just about everything. That doesn’t mean Teryl Austin should stand pat. When Mahomes struggles, it’s often like most QBs in that guys nipping at his feet in the pocket make him uncomfortable. Austin blitzes at one of the lower rates in the NFL and most of us know why. He believes in the four guys he sends and wants the secondary to keep everything in front of them. Sometimes you have to come out of your comfort zone though and if you get burnt? So be it. Just don’t go down while back on your heels.
3. Special Teams Has to Be Special. Both the Steelers and the Chiefs have excellent Special Teams’ units but the Steelers have to rise higher this week. Corlis Waitman has to flip the field when necessary and the coverage guys have to be solid. If balls are loose, the Steelers can’t afford to not get them as was the case last week. But Danny Smith will need to dial up some magic too. Can he get a guy loose to block a punt? Will he pull off a fake? The Steelers need to take advantage of any opportunity they are given.
The ‘X’ Factor: Each week I will select a player from each team who I believe will need to play above and beyond in order for his team to win.
X-Factor Steelers: Najee Harris. He had 14 snaps on offense last week and the was just slightly worse than the week before. I’ve been screaming to get Jaylen Warren more involved but that doesn’t mean Arthur Smith should move away from Harris. When he plays well, the Steelers usually win. Part of this is on him and part of it is on Smith. They have to gel and get things done.
X-Factor Chiefs: Chris Jones. We’ve seen what powerful, athletic defensive linemen have been doing to the Steelers the last two weeks and here comes one of the best in the NFL. If Jones just does what he usually does, the young Steelers’ offensive line is in trouble.
Prediction: There are a lot of trends in this game that favor the Steelers and they look to be getting some key guys back just in time. That said, I don’t see us scoring enough points to hang with the Chiefs. This doesn’t mean Kansas City is a scoring machine right now, but I just don’t trust our defense enough against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. Unless we get turnovers and short fields, I don’t see it happening.
Chiefs 26 Steelers 17
Season Prediction Record: 9-6
