Steelers Top Chiefs in Playoffs

The Steelers may not have been able to score a touchdown but they still won the game Sunday to advance again in the playoffs.

You wouldn’t think a game where the Steelers couldn’t finish a drive would be a really fun game to watch and one in which the Steelers came out on top. Yet it was. That’s a great deal thanks to Chris Boswell’s NFL record six field goals. Let’s recap the events.

1st Quarter

The Steelers started off with the ball first. The drive set the offensive tone for the rest of the game. They patched together a first down with a Bell run and Rogers pass. Then a 13 yard pass to Jesse James, and 16 yard to James after that. Bell had runs of 4,11, and 8 yards. Then they just couldn’t convert from the 5 yard line. Field goal. Pittsburgh up 3-0.

The Chiefs started out with a pair of runs for their first first down. Then Travis Kelce had a 21 yard reception. A few more medium range passes and Albert Wilson was in the endzone. Chiefs up 3-7.

The Steelers hit back starting with long 3rd down pass that Brown took 52 yards. Naturally, they didn’t do anything after that and kicked a field goal. Chiefs up 6-7.

With the ball back Alex Smith threw a 13 yard pass to Kelce. Shortly after they got a holding penalty they weren’t able to recover from and had to punt.

2nd Quarter

When Pittsburgh got the ball back. The Steelers put together a couple first downs with Le’Veon Bell. Then they switched to a few passes. 9 yards to Brown, 5 yards to James, 4 yards to Hamilton. Then, again, from the 11, the Steelers got stopped and had to kick. Steelers up again 9-7.

Although the Chiefs got a first down to open their drive it ended when Ryan Shazier got an interception, something he’s gotten a lot of lately. Bell had runs of 9 and 4 yards. Then Jesse James had a 26 yard catch to put them on the 5. Of course, the next pass was tipped and intercepted by Eric Berry.

The Chiefs went three and out though and had to punt. You’ll never guess how it ends. So the Steelers were looking a 3rd and 9 after some short plays and a delay of game when Bell broke a 17 yard run. Then a pair of 6 yard runs. Then the progress abruptly stopped. They got a field goal for their troubles though. Steelers up 12-7.

The Steelers and Chiefs traded some penalties but ultimately West fumbled after a reception and Artie Burns recovered it. They had the ball at their own 40. They Steelers elected not to kick a field goal though with 3 seconds left in an ironic vote of no confidence in the kicker and special teams squad that kind of won them the game fearing a Boswell miss and Tyreek Hill run back.

3rd Quarter

The Chiefs got the ball first but they punted pretty quickly. Le’Veon Bell started the quarter with a 38 yard run. Then a 6 yard run. Then a 5 yard run. Blah blah blah, field goal. Steelers up 15-7.

Kansas City answered with some short plays that got the to the center of the field but Harrison got a sack on a 3rd and 2 and had to punt. The Steelers, starting on their own 2, went three and out and had to punt as well.

Travis Kelce quickly squandered some great field position when Cockrell taunted him into a penalty. Then a 20 yard pass to Jeremy Maclin made up the difference and then some getting a first down. They weren’t able to get to the next sent of downs though and kicked a field goal. Steelers up 15-10.

4th Quarter

After a nice Sammie Coates run back Roethlisberger threw a 14 yard pass to Rogers. They got another first down with a pair of Bell runs and a pass to Ayers. Then another long 23 yard pass to James. After entering the redzone the drive ended on a sack and the Steelers kicked their 5th field goal. Pittsburgh up 18-10.

The next Chiefs drive took up nearly the rest of the quarter, lasting over 7 minutes. They started with a pair of first downs from a 24 yard pass to Kelce and an 11 yard run from Ware. They took a step back after a face mask penalty on Ware but a 17 yard pass to Kelce and a 12 yard pass to Conley on 4th down got them another set of downs. Sean Davis got them to the goal line with a helmet to helmet hit.

From there they got to 4th and 2 on the 4 and got a 3 yard pass to the fullback Sherman. Ware punched it in for the touchdown. It looked like the game was tied when Smith complete the 2 point conversion to Harris but their was a holding penalty drawn by Harrison. They failed to do it twice though and a pass to Maclin was incomplete. Steelers up 18-16.

The Steelers had a 2 yard run from Bell. Then a 5 yard pass to Rogers. They needed a 1st down to run the clock out and they went to Antonio Brown naturally, who caught a 7 yard pass and the Steelers kneeled it out.

Next: Steelers vs Chiefs: Series History

So congratulation to Chris Boswell who now holds the record with 6 made field goals in a playoff game. As Tomlin succinctly put in his post-game press conference, “Obviously we weren’t perfect tonight, but we were good enough.” On to Foxboro, and if the football Gods will it, the Super Bowl and Seven (which I will consider a proper noun from now on).

Home/Steelers News