Chiefs aim to get even for tough loss in Pittsburgh
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Alex Smith endured watching film of the Kansas City Chiefs’ meltdown in Pittsburgh earlier this season “a bunch of times” this week, still trying to figure out where everything went wrong.
As if he hasn’t relived it enough in his nightmares.
Ben Roethlisberger threw five touchdown passes. Le’Veon Bell starred in his return from a three-game suspension.
The Steelers scored 22 first-quarter points, led 36-0 before the Chiefs finally scored and they proceeded to rout the eventual AFC West champions 43-14 that October night.
“It’s been a long time,” Smith said, “so they’ve changed. Over the course of the season, they’ve progressed and gone a certain direction. There’s a lot they change week-toweek as well.”
But the Chiefs (12-4) are a different team, too.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill has made a name for himself as one of the NFL’s most dynamic rookies, going from specialteams standout to offensive difference-maker.
Top pass rusher Justin Houston is also expected to be available after missing the first meeting while recovering from knee surgery.
Oh, and this matchup with the Steelers (12-5) will be at loud Arrowhead Stadium rather than Heinz Field, and a spot in the AFC title game awaits the winner.
“We got embarrassed in the first meeting,” Chiefs center Mitch Morse said, “and we had to come back and kind of take a step back and realize, ‘We’re a good football team.’ We had to understand where we were. We learned a lot from that game and we were able to take the next step.”
Indeed, the Chiefs ripped off five straight wins after that loss in Pittsburgh, a stretch that turned around their season.
They wound up overtaking Oakland for the division title on the final day of the regular season, earning a first-round bye and a home playoff game.
The Steelers basically had a bye, too: They routed Miami last weekend to advance.
“I think a postseason challenge on the road is one thing,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said, “but at a legendary venue like that is something else. We’re excited about it. We respect it.”
But they aren’t going to be intimidated by it. The Steelers have been in enough big games over the years that it takes more than a trip to Kansas City, where the Chiefs have not won a playoff game since the 1993 season, to leave them quaking in their cleats.
Besides, they already beat the Chiefs in a laugher once this season.
As the Chiefs and Steelers prepare to meet again Sunday night, here are some keys to the game:
LACE UP YOUR SKATES:
The U.S. figuring skating championships are in Kansas City this weekend, and Arrowhead Stadium might make a mighty fine rink. Forecasts for Sunday call for a near-100 percent chance of freezing rain that could leave the turf, re-sodded just this week, with a thick glaze.
The game was supposed to kick off at 1:05 p.m. Eastern time, but was moved to 8:20 p.m. EST so stadium and road crews along with local and state authorities could ensure roads and parking lots were safe.
“No, weather is a part of our ball,” Tomlin said. “We don’t overanalyze that.”
BYE, BYE, BYE:
Chiefs coach Andy Reid has compiled a 16-2 record in the regular season after a week off, including a road win over Oakland this season. He was also perfect in three divisional playoff games in Philadelphia when his teams earned a first-round bye, including one season that ended in the Super Bowl.
“I don’t know if there’s a secret,” he insisted.