Chiefs Begin Pursuit Of Another Super Bowl Vs Steelers

CHIEFS PLAYER TO WATCH: Whichever working backs can be found. Clyde Edwards-Helaire will miss the sport with a shoulder harm, and Darrel Williams ought to play regardless of a sore toe. Whomever will get the majority of the carries might be going in opposition to the league’s worst run protection, permitting greater than 146 yards per sport.

KEY MATCHUP: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in opposition to the Pittsburgh go protection, which has been stable in opposition to nearly everybody however him. The Steelers ranked ninth within the league, permitting simply 215.1 yards per sport via the air, however Mahomes dominated them for 258 yards and three TDs when Kansas Metropolis routed the Steelers in December.

INJURIES: Steelers LT Dan Moore Jr. (ankle), LB Rob Spillane (knee) and RB Najee Harris (elbow) practiced this week and are anticipated to play. WR James Washington started the week within the COVID-19 protocols. … Chiefs RBs Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) and Darrel Williams (toe) additionally practiced this week although Edwards-Helaire has been dominated out.

SERIES NOTES: The Steelers have dominated the sequence, although Kansas Metropolis has gained the previous two conferences, together with their sport in December. The Steelers beat the Chiefs 18-16 within the divisional spherical in 2017 whereas Kansas Metropolis beat the Steelers 27-24 in extra time within the wild-card spherical in 1994.

STATS AND STUFF: The Steelers have misplaced three straight playoff video games since a win at Kansas Metropolis within the divisional spherical in 2017. QB Ben Roethlisberger, DL Cam Heyward and Ok Chris Boswell are the one gamers that stay from the group that misplaced to New England the next week within the AFC championship. … The Chiefs start the playoffs attempting to make their third straight Tremendous Bowl and fourth consecutive AFC title sport. … Roethlisberger might be making his twenty third postseason begin, tied with Joe Montana for fourth amongst QBs in NFL historical past. … Roethlisberger is 13-9 within the playoffs, although his QB score within the postseason (86.4) is decrease than the common season (93.5). … Roethlisberger is 7-3 in opposition to the Chiefs, with 18 TD passes and 6 interceptions. … Pittsburgh RB Najee Harris set a franchise rookie file with 1,200 yards speeding. He had simply 28 yards on 11 carries final week in opposition to Baltimore after injuring his left elbow within the first quarter. … Pittsburghs protection completed final in opposition to the run for the primary time for the reason that NFL-AFL merger. The Chiefs ran for 127 yards within the first assembly. … The Steelers completed atop the NFL in sacks for a fifth straight season (55). … The Steelers minus-55 level differential is second worst in franchise historical past for a group that made the playoffs. That they had a minus-61 differential in 1989 as a wild card at 9-7. That group gained on the highway at Houston within the first spherical earlier than falling at Denver. … Pittsburgh led the NFL with 169 fourth-quarter factors, a franchise file. … That is Pittsburghs 63rd playoff sport, second within the NFL behind Dallas (64). The Steelers are 36-26 within the playoffs, together with 6-6 within the wild-card or opening spherical. That features an OT loss to Montana and the Chiefs in 1994. … Kansas Metropolis gained 9 of its previous 10 regular-season video games after a 1-3 begin. … The Chiefs try to win their fifth straight residence playoff sport, extending the franchise file. … Kansas Metropolis has allowed 10 factors or fewer in its previous 5 residence video games. Six video games would tie the second-longest mark in NFL since 1950. … Chiefs coach Andy Reid can go Corridor of Famer Joe Gibbs for fourth in postseason wins along with his 18th. … Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is 2-0 in opposition to Pittsburgh with 9 TD passes and no interceptions. … Chiefs TE Travis Kelce wants 17 catches to achieve 100 in postseason video games. He additionally wants 8 yards to achieve 1,000 and yet another TD for his tenth. … Chiefs DE Frank Clark has 11 postseason sacks. He wants one to tie Reggie White for fourth most since sacks grew to become an official stat in 1982. … Chiefs RB Darrel Williams had a career-best 1,010 yards from scrimmage this season. … WR Tyreek Hill was third within the NFL with a Chiefs-record 111 catches. He had 1,239 yards receiving and 9 TDs. … Chiefs FS Tyrann Mathieu had at the least three interceptions for the third straight season.