Looking to lock up the top seed in the AFC with a win, the Kansas City Chiefs hit the road to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Defeating the Texans for its 11th one-possession win of the season, Kansas City keeps winning tight games. Pittsburgh faces questions about its postseason upside after a pair of decisive losses to Philadelphia and Baltimore. In a matchup of AFC playoff teams, the Chiefs are favored by a few points in the first game of the Christmas doubleheader.
How to watch Chiefs at Steelers
- Venue: Acrisure Stadium — Pittsburgh
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- Streaming: Netflix
- TV (local markets only): CBS with streaming on Fubo (try for free)
- Watching in-person? Get tickets on StubHub.
Kansas City’s passing game is getting healthier and rounding into form. Patrick Mahomes hasn’t thrown an interception over the last five games after an uncharacteristic 11 picks through 10 starts.
The steady emergence of first-round pick Xavier Worthy (11 targets each of the last two games) and the healthy return of talented offseason acquisition Hollywood Brown gives Mahomes two more credible weapons alongside Travis Kelce and DeAndre Hopkins. The healthy quartet helps Kansas City overcome an inconsistent backfield (27th in yards per play) that could struggle against a strong Steelers run defense (seventh in yards per play).
Winning the turnover battle is key for Pittsburgh — which leads the NFL with 31 takeaways. Ineffective at moving the ball the last three games without George Pickens, the Steelers lack offensive firepower. Without Pickens, Pittsburgh is averaging 167 passing yards per game. The running game has fallen to 31st in yards per play as opposing teams load up the box.
Facing a top-five Kansas City run defense, the Steelers could lean heavily on quarterback Russell Wilson. If Pickens (questionable) remains sidelined, Calvin Austin III is Wilson’s new main target.
If the Chiefs win and clinch the No. 1 seed, they could conceivably rest their key players for over three weeks before a potential Jan. 18 home playoff game.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers odds
Expert picks for Chiefs vs. Steelers
Read more about the NFL
NFL playoff picture: Lions, Chiefs closing in on top seeds; Falcons lead NFC South
Week 17 odds, spreads, schedule: Bengals open as favorites, Cowboys vs. Eagles, Christmas playoff implications
The Steelers have lost 3 of 5 and are slumping on offense. Here’s why I’m not too worried
(Photo of Russell Wilson: Justin Berl / Getty Images)
