Maybe everyone should stop complaining about the lack of entertainment being displayed in this year’s NFL playoffs. I say that because the Steelers made it plenty interesting for us all last weekend.

In a nail-biter to finish, the Pittsburgh Steelers offense did just enough to help them leave Kansas City with a victory. The final score read 18-16, a rather unusual ending to an NFL contest.

Those 18 points all came off the leg of Steelers kicker, Chris Boswell.

Pittsburgh didn’t need touchdowns to win on Sunday, as they became the first team ever to win a playoff game without scoring any touchdowns, in which their opponent scored two. Ben Roethlisberger and the gang literally made history Sunday night, and in more ways than one.

Let’s take a deeper look at some of the key plays of the night.

Early in the game, the Steelers needed a spark: enter Antonio Brown.

For some strange reason I cannot explain, the Chiefs let Justin Houston, an outside linebacker, man cover on AB. Something must have gone wrong in communication because leaving that match-up out there is inexcusable.

Ben and AB both take advantage of the slip up, and Roethlisberger chucks it deep.

Big Ben has been catching criticism for the throw, but given the fact that he has Chiefs defenders around his ankles, I think the throw is well-placed.

When watching the play a few times, you notice the genius of Roethlisberger. He doesn’t get too excited, and go right to the tasty match up of Brown/Houston. Ben first looks the deep safety off by pump faking for Darrius Heyward-Bey, who was covered well on the play.

Once Ben sees that, and freezes the safety, he looks back to Antonio and throws.

Huge play.

AB had another stellar performance, as he posted 100 yards receiving in the first half. 

Stellar performances are expected of Antonio Brown, but they are not expected of tight end Jessie James. “The Outlaw,” as he has been dubbed, had a fantastic game, filling in for the injured Ladarius Green.

Speaking of Green, you might get the feeling of deja vu after watching this next play.

The outlaw gets wide open, on what appears to be the same exact fake screen play called against the New York Giants (where Green scored his first touchdown of 2016).

The play is perfectly executed, and James rumbles ahead for 26 yards.

Sadly, it wasn’t the best night in the redzone for the Steelers offense. Below, Roethlisberger checks the play to a pass for Antonio Brown, and the ball is tipped.

As a result, the ball is intercepted by Eric Berry of the Chiefs.

When watching the play again, it looks like Berry may have intercepted it on his own, because he was moving in that direction anyway. In actuality, if that ball isn’t tipped at the line, it could have been a pick 6.

So, it could have been worse?

I usually try to make light of horrible situations.

Regardless, a few critics need to relax on Todd Haley, whom they blasted for calling passes when “the run was working”. The above play was a run all the way, but Ben has the liberty to check out of the play, as he did when he saw Brown in single coverage. He felt they had a match-up he could take advantage of, and it doesn’t work out (this time).

If you watch one last time, you’ll notice every other Steeler besides Ben and AB look around, wondering what happened; including Le’Veon Bell and Cobi Hamilton.

Seeing as that was Roethlisberger’s lone INT on the night, now we can get back to the good stuff.

Bell certainly qualifies as such, as he brought the juice with him to KC. He gashed the KC defense all night, making some runs easier than others.

Le’Veon had some high-quality blocking ahead him at times; other times, the Steelers line was parting the defense like the Red Sea.

Maurkice Pouncey, Marcus Gilbert, and Jessie James all lay great blocks to spring Juice for 17 yards… on 3rd-and-9!

Yes fans: when you want Haley to run, Ben checks out of it to a pass, and when you want Ben to pass, they call a perfectly executed run play to move the chains.

Think the coaches and players know better than us sometimes?

Continuing, the NFL’s best running back wasn’t done yet, not even close.

Where to even start here? First off, Pouncey and DeCastro both help pave the way, literally passing #95 Chris Jones down the offensive line like a fire drill! Marcus Gilbert and Ramon Foster hold their own, while Pouncey is freed up to make another key block on defensive back Daniel Sorensen.

Once breaking through the initial hole, Bell receives a block from Cobi Hamilton, a wide receiver… Hamilton has come through with crucial blocks and catches as the season has progressed.

It’s really no wonder why he keeps seeing playing time – he does everything right.

This 38-yard chunk was Bell’s longest of the night, and made up a large part of his 170 on the ground. Similar to Antonio Brown, Bell also achieved 100 of his yards in the first half.

The final play I want to cover relates back to the “above the line” performance Jessie James had. The tight end makes a nice play indeed, but more so I want to focus on Roethlisberger.

His pump-fake is lethal.

Watch as he freezes the deep safety again, this time worse than before.

Ben didn’t have the flashiest night by any means, but I’m not too quick to necessarily complain about his game. He made the plays when he had too, and he didn’t give the ball away besides one tipped pass.

Compared to other performances we have witnessed from #7 on the road, Sunday’s game was rather enjoyable. I happen to think that Ben is solving his road issues, if he hasn’t already.

This team is clicking at the right time, and I have a feeling great things are ahead.