The Pittsburgh Steelers lost their third straight game on Christmas Day, getting completely outplayed in every facet during a 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Steelers allowed 389 yards of total offense and lost the turnover battle once again as the Chiefs clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
The Chiefs won the toss and deferred, so the Steelers started with the ball. Kansas City forced a three-and-out, and Steelers QB Russell Wilson fumbled on third down but was able to fall back on top of it. Things got worse for Pittsburgh when Kansas City WR Nikko Remigio returned Corliss Waitman’s punt 25 yards to the Pittsburgh 42.
The Chiefs converted a 4th and 1 from the Pittsburgh 33, with RB Kareem Hunt running four yards for a first down. Three straight pass completions led to a 2nd and 4 from the Pittsburgh 7, and QB Patrick Mahomes found WR Xavier Worthy for a touchdown to give the Chiefs a 6-0 lead. Worthy was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the touchdown, and it forced the Chiefs to kick a longer extra point. Harrison Butker’s attempt was no good, keeping the score 6-0 with 9:19 left in the first quarter.
The Steelers struggled again to move the ball on their ensuing drive, and then they forced a fumble on the punt but Kansas City fell on it and recovered, taking over at their own 21 with 6:33 left in the first quarter. Kansas City picked up a first down on 3rd and 11 on a Patrick Mahomes shovel pass, and then Mahomes went deep to WR Justin Watson for a 49-yard gain down to the Pittsburgh 17. Three plays later, Mahomes went to Watson in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown, and Butker’s extra point made it a 13-0 game with 4:00 left in the first quarter.
Pittsburgh’s offense had some life on the first play of their third drive with Wilson going downfield to WR George Pickens for a 41-yard gain, and then RB Jaylen Warren ran up the middle for a gain of 22. Two plays later, a Warren touchdown was nullified because of a holding penalty on Darnell Washington, and the very next play Wilson was intercepted by S Justin Reid in the end zone.
While the Steelers got a stop, Patrick Queen dropped a would-be interception, and the Steelers took over at their own 28 after Matt Araiza’s punt. But the offense responded well from the turnover, putting together an 11-play, 72-yard drive and Russell Wilson scrambled for a one-yard touchdown and the Steelers cut the lead to 13-7 with 10:28 left in the first half.
The Steelers got a stop and looked like they were going to have to punt on their ensuing drive but a 12 men on the field penalty on the punt against Kansas City extended Pittsburgh’s drive. On 3rd and 9 from midfield with 1:11 left in the half, Wilson went deep to Mike Williams but the pass was deflected and Pittsburgh was forced to punt. The Chiefs would take over at their own 22 with 1:01 left in the first half but went three-and-out, giving the ball back to the Steelers at the Pittsburgh 20 with 31 seconds left in the half.
Kansas City got the ball to start the second half and marched right down the field on the strength of 15-yard and 23-yard receptions to WR Xavier Worthy. But the Chiefs’ drive stalled out at the Pittsburgh 13, and K Harrison Butker converted on a 32-yard field goal to give the Chiefs a 16-7 lead with 12:21 left in the third quarter.
Wilson converted on a 3rd and 9 scramble to keep Pittsburgh’s drive alive, and then a dump-off to RB Jaylen Warren went for 21 yards to move the Steelers to the Kansas City 17. But Wilson took a sack on third down from inside the red zone, and the Steelers would settle for a Chris Boswell field goal. After a neutral zone infraction by Kansas City, Boswell hit from 36 yards and the Steelers cut the lead to 16-10 with 5:45 left in the third quarter.
The Chiefs made things look easy on their next drive, going 77 yards in 11 plays and taking 5:49 off the clock, with RB Kareem Hunt punching it in for a two-yard touchdown to extend the Chiefs lead to 22-10. Kansas City would try and go for two, but the Steelers intercepted the conversion attempt the score remained 22-10 with 14:56 left in the game. TE Pat Freiermuth fumbled on 3rd and 15 on Pittsburgh’s ensuing drive, and the Chiefs would take over at the Pittsburgh 34. Kansas City took advantage of the turnover with a 20-yard completion to TE Travis Kelce and then Kelce would score a 12-yard touchdown. Butker’s extra point gave the Chiefs a 29-10 lead.
Pittsburgh stalled out at the Kansas City 42 on their next drive, and a 4th and 20 pass to George Pickens was incomplete. The Chiefs would drain 3:26 off the clock but wouldn’t score, and the Steelers got the ball back with 6:32 left and almost no hope to win the game. They would go three-and-out and punt, and Kansas City followed that up with a three-and-out of their own.
Pittsburgh moved down the field but wouldn’t score, losing 29-10. The game ended on an illegal shift penalty against the Steelers, a fitting end.
Pittsburgh drops to 10-6 with the loss, while the Chiefs move to 15-1 and clinch the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
