3 factors that could lead to a Steelers upset over Chiefs in the playoffs
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers could not have a more difficult task in the Wild Card round, but these three factors could potentially lead to an upset this time around.
While everything went right for the Pittsburgh Steelers in order to miraculously be handed a playoff berth this year, they couldn’t ask for a more daunting matchup than playing the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Obviously, there are 18 NFL teams that would kill just for a chance to get into the tournament, but escaping the first round of the playoffs seems like a nearly impossible task. Pittsburgh will have to play some mistake-free football if they want to have a chance at in this contest, but these three factors could potentially help the Steelers to an upset win this time around:
Steelers could get JuJu Smith-Schuster back
What a pleasant surprise this was! A week ago, there was hardly a whisper about JuJu Smith-Schuster. Now it looks like the former Pro Bowl wide receiver will be ready to suit up for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury back on October 16th, NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport reports.
While it’s unfair to expect too much from a wide receiver who has been out of commission for roughly three months, we have seen the impact JuJu can have when it comes to moving the chains in clutch moments. Though he probably will be eased into action, Smith-Schuster offers another quality weapon that could give them about against one of the NFL’s most high-powered offenses.
JuJu’s welcome addition back to the field doesn’t mean that the Steelers are guaranteed to have success through the air, but this will give them a much better lineup in 11-personnel instead of being forced to rely on Ray-Ray McCloud as a safety valve in big moments. The combination of Smith-Schuster, Diotnae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and Pat Freiermuth is exactly what the doctor ordered for an all-important playoff game.