The Pregame: Chiefs Travel to Pittsburgh For Key Third Preseason Game

November 12, 2012; Pittsburgh , PA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back

(25) runs for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of the game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

VITALS

Time: 6:30 p.m.

TV: KCTV 5

Radio: 101.1 FM KCFX

Weather: 80-degrees, clear, and no chance of rain

MOTIVATIONAL MOVIE CLIP

THREE TO WATCH

1. Jamaal Charles

Will he play? If he plays, how will he look?

Obviously, the health of Charles is important. How Charles looks is important to how quick of a start the Chiefs can get off to.

2. Nico Johnson and Akeem Jordan

The most competitive battle in the preseason has been for the second middle linebacker spot next to Derrick Johnson. Both Johnson and Jordan have shown they are capable of holding down the staring gig, while also being an asset to the team. The question is which one of these two will earn the opportunity to start?  The question will likely be answered, in one way or another, Saturday night.

3. Eric Fisher

Welp, now you know. Fisher has to be better (obviously), and this is a key game for him to show it.

BEER OF THE GAME

PBR.

Why? Because this is the hipster game of the preseason: The most important game of the preseason to football nerds.

GAME PLAN

Win.

Win. Win. Win.

Preseason record mean nothing for the most part, but going 0-4 is not ideal. If there is one preseason game you have to look at as a must win, it is the third preseason game. This is a good opponent to judge where the Chiefs are and how much work they need to put in if they are going to go from a worst-to-playoffs.

Kansas City needs to show they are ready for the regular season.

The starters are going to be out on the field for most of this game, and to see solid productions from all phases is important. I don’t expect Dwayne Bowe to be very active, but I expect him to be more active in this game than in any of the other preseason games. I expect Jamaal Charles to look good when (and if) he is on the field. I expect the offensive line to be better at pick up blitzes, the running game to an asset, the defense to make plays, and for special teams to continue to dominate.

I want to see the thesis for how the Chiefs intend to win football games this year.

I don’t expect everything to be perfect, but I do expect for the Chiefs to look more technically sound than they have in the last few preseason games. The lack of time the third and fourth stringers will see should help the Chiefs hold a lead should they obtain one – and they need to keep it.

FANTASY FOOTBALL BREAKDOWN

Mike Wallace is gone, and now Ben Roethlisberger has to find a big play wide receiver to trust. Who is that guy going to be? It could be Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders is a fourth year man out of SMU, and has good speed. Last year he had 44 catches for 626 yards and a TD. Sanders could see a lot of the targets Wallace is leaving behind.

Antonio Brown will still be around as the possession receiver. Pay attention to how much Roethlisberger looks his way.

GO CHIEFS!