Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs Preview

by Mike Drakulich (PghSportsNation) on October 14, 2017

Welcome to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs Preview! This is your one stop shop for everything you need to know about the Steelers and their upcoming opponent! Mike Drakulich of Pittsburgh SportsNation brings you inside the huddle for both teams, provides a game outlook, score prediction, individual stats, team stats, Fantasy Football impact, the most up-to-date injury report, and even the weather at kickoff! The only thing you’re missing is a game uniform!

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A look at the Pittsburgh Steelers!

Overall Record: 3-2
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (11th Season with Steelers)
Overall Regular Season Record: 106-59 (.642)
Playoff Record: 8-6 (Qualified for playoffs 7 times)
2017 Pittsburgh Steelers Roster
Last Game: Jaguars 30 Steelers 9

Breakdown of the Steelers

Quarterback- Ben Roethlisberger leads a vastly underperforming offense that has the ability to beat you via the ground or the air. Big Ben has normally been outstanding at home, but has struggled to put up the same numbers on the road the past few seasons.

Running Backs- Le’Veon Bell is considered to be one of the best all-around backs in the NFL, if not thee best. Bell can kill you on the ground with his speed and elusiveness. He is patient, often delaying a second to find the hole to burst through. Bell is also dangerous out of the backfield as a pass catcher. James Conner will spell Bell from time to time.

Wide Receivers- Antonio Brown is the best receiver in the game. You can count on five catches for at least 50 yards every week at a minimum. This wideout group is extremely deep and talented. Martavis Bryant is a deep threat on every play with his size and speed. Eli Rogers is excellent from the slot. Justin Hunter has superior speed and is also a deep threat. Rookie Juju Schuster-Smith is looking to make his mark in the NFL in his first season and is already becoming a reliable Roethlisberger target. Darrius Heyward-Bey is mainly used on special teams, but is a dependable player when called upon in the passing game.

Tight Ends- Jesse James is the starter and becoming one of Roethlisberger’s favorite targets around the endzone. Vance McDonald is a big target that can make splash plays for Roethlisberger across the middle and inside the redzone. Xavier Grimble is also a nice target for Ben inside the 10 yard line.

Defense- The Steeler defense is primed for an awakening in 2017. On the 3-4 defensive line, it’s Cam Heyward, Javon Hargrave, and Stephon Tuitt. Daniel McCullers will rotate with Hargrave. Should Tuitt or Heyward go down, Tyson Alualu or L.T. Walton would step in.

At linebacker, rookie TJ Watt starts at OLB, with Ryan Shazier and Vince Williams in the middle. Bud Dupree stands opposite of Watt. Both can get at the quarterback and disrupt the opposing team’s passing game. Shazier is a stud in the middle and his speed makes him a nightmare for any QB who makes a mistake across the middle. Don’t count out James Harrison, who will rotate in to spell Watt or Dupree. Anthony Chickillo will also step in for injuries to Watt or Dupree on the outside and is making a name for himself every time he steps on the field.

The secondary has been revamped with the addition of Joe Haden at corner. He won’t have to guard the opposing team’s #1 wide receiver on every down, as that job falls to Artie Burns. Mike Mitchell lines up at free safety, with JJ Wilcox backing him up if injured. Sean Davis is getting better by the game at strong safety. Mike Hilton and Will Gay will be in at slot corner positions when called upon.

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A look at the Kansas City Chiefs!

Overall Record: 5-0
Head Coach: Andy Reid (5th Season with Chiefs)
Overall Regular Season Record: 178-114-1 (.609) | 48-21 (.696) with KC
Playoff Record: 11-12 (Qualified for playoffs 12 times)
2017 Kansas City Chiefs Roster
Last Week: Chiefs 42 Texans 34

Breakdown of the Chiefs

Quarterback- Alex Smith is having a solid year under center for the Chiefs. He is still mobile enough to take off and gain positive yards if the passing lanes are shut down. Still, he has been sacked 17 times…

Running Backs- Rookie Kareem Hunt is the real deal, a dual threat in the mold of Le’Veon Bell, this kid is padding his stats week after week.

Wide Receivers- Tyreek Hill is the best of the bunch. Hill has world class speed. Albert Wilson and Chris Conley are Smith’s other two options at wide out.

Tight Ends- Travis Kelce remains one of the top tight ends in the game. Kelce is questionable after suffering a concussion last week against the Texans.

Defense- The Chiefs are a solid, balanced unit, but definitively can be had by the right offensive team.

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Game Preview

There comes a time in every season where a team overcomes adversity to become the champions they so aspire to be. Sometimes it takes a slap in the face to wake a squad up and prove that newspaper clippings and adulations from the media aren’t going to be good enough to simply show up and win a game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are at this juncture in week six of the NFL season. They have the talent and the tools to be a 5-0 team, as are the Kansas City Chiefs, but here they are at 3-2, having lost to the woeful Chicago Bears, and being embarrassed at home by Jacksonville last week 30-9.

At this moment, this team seems more focused on what to do during the National Anthem, and engaging in Twitter fights with former players, than they are at winning games on Sundays. There is talk of discord in the locker-room and petty cat fights between certain players.

Tackle Marcus Gilbert, who will be returning to the line-up this week, knows what this team needs.

“Whatever it takes to win,” Gilbert said Tuesday, via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I think we’re at this point now we have to set our ego’s aside. No matter whoever’s catching the ball, whoever’s running the ball, be selfless and just take one for the team. Most teams win because they have guys like that.”

It’s time for the leaders of this team, and especially head coach Mike Tomlin, to put a stop to all of it. He is the boss in the room. This is his team. He talks, they listen. That’s how it’s supposed to work. Grown men or not, they have a job to do, and that is playing football.

“This week is going to be a turning point for a lot of the guys out here,” Gilbert said. “We have a demeanor about ourselves. The games we were supposed to win we didn’t do so, and I think a lot of guys are on edge.”

There is plenty of blame to go around on the team, from the player’s performances, to the coaching and play calling.

The offensive line has been nowhere near as good as advertised. Part of this is due to the absence of Gilbert. They have failed to provide adequate running lanes for Le’Veon Bell, and their pass protection, for a lack of a better word, has sucked in giving Ben Roethlisberger time to throw the ball.

Roethlisberger, when he has had time to throw, how been terribly inept in completing any passes down the field. Todd Haley and the play calling seems centered around getting he ball to Antonio Brown on every pass attempt. It’s not a bad idea to want to get the ball into the hands of Brown, but this team is stocked with a bevy of talent at wide out. Martavis Bryant is a deep threat on every play with his size and speed. Eli Rogers has been benched in favor of Justin Hunter since muffing a punt return against Chicago. His presence in the slot and on underneath routes is sorely being missed. Juju Schuster-Smith needs more balls thrown his way. Jesse James is the only tight end with a catch this year. Vance McDonald and Xavier Grimble have yet to be utilized. These are great targets in the short yard passing game, and especially inside the red zone, where the Steelers have been an absolute joke all season.

Todd Haley needs to stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room with this team. That burden also falls on both Tomlin and Roethlisberger. Use the talent you have to the strengths they have, especially inside the 20 yard line. It’s stunning to only see this team scoring an average of 19.9 points per game.

Where are the play action passes and the backside screens to keep the defenses honest when utilizing an all out blitz? How about changing the offense up every now and then and using an I-Formation and a lead blocker to clear out a hole for Bell? Take the tools you have and use them in every way possible to keep opposing defenses off balance.

This offense lives and dies by the play of Roethlisberger. It’s time for the big man to take control of this offense and make it live up to it’s potential.

Many in the National Media were quick to harp on Roethlisberger saying, “Maybe I don’t have it anymore,” after last week’s loss to the Jaguars, but any dummy that actually listened to the audio quote could see Roethlisberger was being sarcastic with what he said.

“You wake up Monday morning, and you realize I’m still one of the best in the world at doing what I do,” Roethlisberger said. “I’m going to have that confidence when I go out there Wednesday to practice and Sunday when we go to Kansas City.

“I have the belief that I’m one of the best that’s ever done it and the best that’s ever played this position. You have to have that confidence, and that’s what I’m going to have.”

That is the type of attitude the team needs from one of it’s main leaders.

You look through the national and local media this week, and many have jumped off the Steeler Bandwagon with cat-like quickness.

Word is, this team, proclaimed the Super Bowl favorites a short week ago, are now cooked and ready to be shipped out for the buzzards to eat.

From the outside looking in, it’s easy to make that assumption, but not from where this writer is standing. I’ve seen this script too many times. Pathetic Steelers lose to inferior team. Fans with pitchforks and torches are protesting outside of Heinz Field. How can this team, who can’t even beat the likes of Chicago or Jacksonville, go into the hostile environment that is Arrowhead Stadium and beat the 5-0 Chiefs, who are scoring over 32 points a game?

Call it a hunch…

This is a team that knows how to win. Roethlisberger has taken them to three Super Bowls, winning two of them. His teammates believe in him, even after the worst of games.

“He’s a Hall of Famer,” center Maurkice Pouncey said. “Never question that.”

Fellow lineman Marcus Gilbert, who as mentioned will return to the line-up this week, echoed Pouncey’s words.

“He’s one of the toughest guys I’ve probably ever been around,” Gilbert said. “He looks at this and laughs at it. I call it his little mind games. You believe whatever you believe. I just know he’s going to be ready when this Sunday comes around.”

If anyone thinks Roethlisberger is has one foot out the door, Gilbert isn’t among them.

“He knows how to overcome adversity, and he’s done that in the past,” Gilbert said. “I expect big (things) from 7 this weekend.”

It’s time for the Steelers to say, “Here we are… stop us.” Steeler football is about being physical and wearing down their opponents. The style has been pretty effective since the 1970’s.

The Steelers need to get back to basics. Run a balanced offense and get Bell the ball. Throw high percentage passes and let your speedy receivers do what they do best. Keep the defenses honest by attacking downfield. This is NOT a sideline to sideline type of offense.

Look for the Steelers to get back on track in a place they’ve had plenty of success at in Kansas City. This is the week the world sees what type of team the Steelers really are.

Prediction: Steelers 31 Chiefs 24

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Fantasy Football Impact

Pittsburgh Steelers

Start: WR Antonio Brown, RB Le’Veon Bell
Sit: WR Martavius Bryant
Sleeper: QB Ben Roethlisberger

Brown and Bell are always going to be in your starting line-up if you have them. I have Big Ben as a Sleeper, as my expectations about him have lowered due to the play calling of Todd Haley, but this is the type of game where Roethlisberger shines.

Kansas City Chiefs

Start: RB Kareem Hunt, WR Tyreek Hill, TE Travis Kelce
Sit: Chiefs Defense, QB Alex Smith
Sleeper: N/A

Kareem Hunt is the real deal. Tyreek Hill will get enough numbers to make you happy. Alex Smith is due for a bad game, and the Steelers pass defense is playing outstanding.

Game Information

NFL Week 6

Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)
Venue: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO.
Game-time: Sunday, October 15th 4:25 pm
TV: CBS (Local KDKA-TV) | Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play) Tony Romo (analyst) | Tracy Wolfson (sideline)
Local Radio: Pittsburgh- 102.5 WDVE-FM | Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (analyst) | Craig Wolfley (sideline)
National Radio: Westwood One | Announcers: Tom McCarthy (play-by-play) Mike Mayock (analyst) |
Weather at Kickoff: 61 and sunny.
Vegas Line: Kansas City -4.5

Steelers-Chiefs History

Series History: Series began in 1970.
The Steelers are 21-10 in the overall Regular Season series against the Chiefs.
Steelers are 10-6 playing at Kansas City.
Streak: Steelers won previous meeting.
Last Regular Season Meeting: Oct. 2, 2016, in Pittsburgh- Pittsburgh 43 Kansas City 14
Steelers are 1-1 in the Post-Season vs the Chiefs.
Last Post-Season Meeting: Jan. 15, 2017, at Kansas City- Pittsburgh 18, Kansas City 16 – AFC Divisional Playoff

Game Notes

Ben Roethlisberger with a win, would improve to 6-1 vs. Kansas City in the regular season as a starter and to 2-1 at on the road at the Chiefs.
Antonio Brown will surpass Marvin Harrison (563) for the most receptions in any five-year span in NFL history with 83 in 2017.
Brown is 78 receiving yards from joining Hines Ward (12,083) as the second player in team history with at least 9,000 receiving yards.
Le’Veon Bell’s next 100-yard rushing game will mark the 16th of his NFL career and will break a with tie John Henry Johnson for the ﬁfth-most 100-yard games in Steelers history.
James Harrison is a half-sack from 80.0 in his career with the Steelers.
William Gay will break a tie with Rod Woodson to set the record for the most interceptions returned for touchdowns in team history with his next pick six of six.
Ryan Shazier’s next interception will match his single-season best of three (2016).

Individual Statistics

Pittsburgh Steelers

Quarterback
- QB- Ben Roethlisberger (1,269 yards passing | 6 TD passes | 7 interceptions | 9 sacks)
Running Backs
- RB- Le’Veon Bell (371 yards rushing | 3 rushing TD’s | 27 receptions | 144 yards receiving | 0 receiving TD’s)
- RB- James Conner (55 yards rushing | 0 rushing TD’s | 0 receptions | 0 yards receiving | 0 receiving TD’s)
Wide Receivers
- WR- Antonio Brown (40 receptions | 545 receiving yards | 1 receiving TD’s)
- WR- Martavis Bryant (15 receptions | 204 receiving yards | 1 receiving TD’s)
- WR- Eli Rogers (6 receptions | 54 receiving yards | 0 receiving TD’s)
- WR- Juju Schuster-Smith (12 receptions | 160 receiving yards | 2 receiving TD’s)
- WR- Justin Hunter (2 receptions | 11 receiving yards | 0 receiving TD’s)
- WR- Darrius Heyward-Bey (0 receptions | 0 receiving yards | 0 receiving TD’s)
Tight Ends
- TE- Jesse James (18 receptions | 151 receiving yards | 2 receiving TD’s)
- TE- Vance McDonald (0 receptions | 0 receiving yards | 0 receiving TD’s)
- TE- Xavier Grimble (0 receptions | 0 receiving yards | 0 receiving TD’s)
Kicking
- K- Chris Boswell (Extra Point: 9-9 | FG: 10-12 | 0-19: 0-0 | 20-29: 3-3 | 30-39: 4-5 | 40-49: 3-4 | 50+: 0-0 | Long: 49)

Steelers Team Statistics, including Defensive Stats

Kansas City Chiefs

Quarterback
- QB- Alex Smith (1,391 yards passing | 11 TD passes | 0 interceptions | 17 sacks)
Running Backs
- RB- Kareem Hunt (609 yards rushing | 4 rushing TD’s | 16 receptions | 166 yards receiving | 2 receiving TD’s)
- RB- Charcandrick West (23 yards rushing | 1 rushing TD’s | 10 receptions | 63 yards receiving | 2 receiving TD’s)
Wide Receivers
- WR- Tyreek Hill (25 receptions | 356 receiving yards | 2 receiving TD’s)
- WR- Albert Wilson (16 receptions | 158receiving yards | 1 receiving TD’s)
- WR- Chris Conley (11 receptions | 175 receiving yards | 0 receiving TD’s)
- WR- De’Anthony Thomas (3 receptions | 22 receiving yards | 1 receiving TD’s)
Tight Ends
- TE- Travis Kelce (29 receptions | 353 receiving yards | 2 receiving TD’s)
- TE- Demetrius Harris (5 receptions | 36 receiving yards | 1 receiving TD’s)
Kicking
- K- Harrison Butker (Extra Point: 5-5 | FG: 8-9 | 0-19: 0-0 | 20-29: 1-1 | 30-39: 3-3 | 40-49: 4-5 | 50+: 0-1 | Long: 49)

Chiefs Team Statistics, including Defensive Stats

Steelers – Chiefs: Offensive vs Defensive Comparison

Steelers Offense:
Steelers average 343.8 | Chiefs allow 366 YPG
- Rushing: Steelers average 90 YPG | Chiefs allow 118 YPG
- Passing: Steelers average 253.8 YPG | Chiefs allow 248 YPG
- Scoring: Steelers average 19.8 PPG | Chiefs allow 22.2 PPG
Steelers Defense:
Steelers allow 276.2 YPG | Chiefs average 434.4 YPG
- Rushing: Steelers allow 136.6 YPG | Chiefs average 156.2 YPG
- Passing: Steelers allow 139.6 YPG | Chiefs average 278.2 YPG
- Scoring: Steelers allow 17.8 PPG | Chiefs average 32.8 PPG