The Kansas City Chiefs Breeze by the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-10

The Chiefs Kingdom showed up in droves on the day after Christmas to see the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. The weather was abnormally warm this time of year as the fans packed into Arrowhead Stadium. This Sunday football game had a lot riding on it for both teams, but KC would prevail 36-10, securing their 6th straight AFC West title. From the opening kickoff, the home team would dominate all four quarters.

The Chiefs Would Be Missing Some Players Due to COVID-19

The Chiefs would be without some key players due to Covid-19. Players such as linebacker Nick Bolton, right tackle Lucas Niang, and tight end Travis Kelce were activated on Saturday in hopes they would clear the protocol, but they were all unsuccessful. The kicking duties were handled by some different faces as well. Elliot Fry would kick in place of Harrison Butker, and Johnny Townsend would punt for brother Tommy Townsend. Fry would hit 3-of-4 field goals with a long of 44 yards. He would also make 3-of-4 extra points.

Patrick Mahomes Led the Kansas City Chiefs Offense Flawlessly

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes played an incredible football game. Analyst outside of Kansas City was concerned that Mahomes would struggle without Travis Kelce, but that did not seem to matter. Mahomes would complete 23-out-of-30 passes for 258 yards averaging 8.6 yards per attempt. He used his pallet of running backs and wide receivers to throw three touchdowns. This display shows the versatility of not only Mahomes but the coaching staff.  The former MVP would connect with wide receiver Byron Pringle the most. Pringle would catch 6-out-of-7 targets for 75 yards and two touchdowns.

Derrick Gore Was a Highlight for the Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City demonstrated the ability to run the football against Pittsburgh as they would have a combined 127 yards on 35 carries. Derrick Gore was on full display as he carried the football 12 times for 43 yards. Gore also caught three passes for 61-yards. Darrel Williams carried 11 times for 55 yards. Starting running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire carried the football nine times for 27 yards but would leave the game with a collarbone injury. The ability to run the football aided in spreading the offense out as Kansas City would take the lead and never look back.

The Kansas City Chiefs Defense Continues Their Hot Streak

The Kansas City defense was yet again stifling. This defense continues to play very well from a coverage standpoint to a pass rush standpoint. The players understand their roles and contribute at a high level in those roles. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would complete 23-out-of-35 passes for a measly 159 yards. He would throw one touchdown and one interception while getting sacked twice. The wideouts were only able to gain 194 yards against the KC defense. Wide receiver Diontae Johnson would catch 6-out-of-9 for 51 yards and one touchdown, but he would also lose a costly fumble. Running back Najee Harris was the only highlight for the Steelers as he would rush 19 times for 93 yards.

What Is Next for the Kansas City Chiefs?

In the end, the Pittsburgh Steelers needed to win this football game to keep their playoff hopes alive. Those hopes diminished very quickly as the Chiefs would dominate this football game. The Chiefs would secure their 6th straight AFC West title as the Los Angeles Chargers would be upset by the Houston Texans, 41-29. With the victory, the Chiefs hold onto the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Chiefs will go on the road Sunday, January 2nd, to take on the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals are looking to lock up the AFC North and settle into the AFC playoff seeding.