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Chiefs vs. Steelers Rapid Reaction: KC Cements Status as NFL's Obvious Best Team

Thanks to a dominant performance, the road to the Super Bowl once again runs through Arrowhead Stadium.

By Joe Summers

Dec 15, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates with tight end Travis Kelce (87) and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Dec 15, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates with tight end Travis Kelce (87) and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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Detractors and naysayers foolishly dismissed the Chiefs all season long, yet all of those individuals have egg on their faces now. For the second consecutive week, Kansas City put forth its most dominant effort of the season, destroying the Steelers 29-10 in a game that felt over from the very first offensive drive.

The 15-1 Chiefs have secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs, giving the team multiple weeks to recover from the various injuries it sustained during the campaign. Patrick Mahomes was exceptional and the defense smothered Pittsburgh despite Chris Jones' absence, proving that the two-time defending Super Bowl champions are the NFL's obvious best team.

Every opponent will now have to come through GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium prior to the Super Bowl. If the Chiefs can replicate this type of performance throughout the postseason, it's hard to imagine anyone slowing them down.

Chiefs Defense Dominates Steelers Despite Chris Jones Injury

It's hard to overstate how impressive this defensive effort was. Kansas City forced two turnovers and sacked Russell Wilson five times, allowing just three second-half points as the lead grew to an insurmountable number.

Wilson averaged just 5.5 yards per attempt and was under duress all day long. Considering the Steelers are a playoff team, this was the exact kind of game fans wanted to see.

Chris Roland-Wallace led the team with 10 tackles in his first major opportunity, Mike Danna notched a pair of sacks, and even second-year DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah got in on the fun. Aside from a couple of coverage lapses by Nazeeh Johnson, this was as good as the defense has looked all year.

Travis Kelce Makes Chiefs History With TD Catch

Travis Kelce caught a 12-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to seal the game, breaking Tony Gonzalez's franchise record for most TD catches ever. He finished with eight catches for 84 yards on top of the score, showcasing the special bond with Mahomes just in time for the playoff run.

The greatest tight end ever wasn't the only offensive player who looked great. Xavier Worthy, fresh off the most impressive game of his rookie season, caught another eight passes for 79 yards and a TD. Justin Watson hauled in a 49-yard deep pass and scored too, helping Mahomes complete 29 of his 38 attempts for 320 yards and no turnovers. Even Hollywood Brown notched 46 yards in his second game with the team.

While the Chiefs' rushing attack wasn't particularly impressive, the short passing game served as de facto runs, letting Kansas City stay ahead of the sticks while building the lead.

Jawaan Taylor's Penalties Remain a Problem

One of the only negatives on the day was Jawaan Taylor's ongoing battle with the refs. He was penalized four times, negative positive plays with regularity. It's worth noting he was facing All-Pro T.J. Watt on an island for most of the contest, though he remains one of the NFL's most penalized players and could be a problem in the postseason.

His errors didn't ultimately matter. Mahomes wasn't sacked, so Taylor deserves praise for the way he prevented Watt from getting into the backfield. That said, he'll have a spotlight on him during the playoffs and needs to clean up the holding and false start issues.

Offensive line has obviously been a major talking point this year. Unless Taylor fixes his penalties quickly, he'll likely stall at least one major offensive drive when the games matter the most next month.

Overall, it's a beautiful Christmas Day for Chiefs Kingdom. Kansas City is well on its way to another deep playoff run, and there is no shortage of things to be thankful for during this holiday season.

Congratulations to the Chiefs, and shame on so many in the national media who refused to recognize this team as elite throughout the 2024 regular season. With +430 odds to win the Super Bowl at FanDuel Sportsbook, it looks like Kansas City is finally getting the respect its deserved all along.

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