Weather Forcast: 31 degrees f. freezing rain
Line: Steelers -2.5, Over/Under: 48.5
2014 Trends
The Chiefs are 9-5 ATS.
The Chiefs are 4-3 ATS away.
The Chiefs are 5-1 ATS as the underdog.
The Chiefs are 4-1 ATS as an away underdog.
The Steelers are 7-7 ATS.
The Steelers are 4-4 ATS at home.
The Steelers are 4-5 ATS as the favorite.
The Steelers are 2-3 ATS as a home favorite.
Recent Head to Head matchups (Since 2001)
Steelers lead 4-2
Nov 12, 2012 KC 13, @PIT 16
Nov 27, 2011 @KC 9, PIT 13
Nov 22, 2009 @KC 27, PIT 24
Oct 15, 2006 KC 7, @PIT 45
Sep 14, 2003 @KC 41, PIT 20
Oct 14, 2001 @KC 17, PIT 20
Team Stats
Chiefs
Offense
Yds per game 323.0 22nd
Pass YPG 196.7 28th
Rush YPG 126.3 6th
Points Scored 23.0 14th
Defense
YPG allowed 331.8 8th
Pass YPG allowed 199.2 2nd
Rush YPG allowed 132.6 28th
Points allowed 18.1 4th (tie) |
Steelers
Offense
Yds per game 424.9 1st
Pass YPG 306.7 2nd
Rush YPG 118.2 11th
Points Scored 27.8 4th
Defense
YPG allowed 356.4 19th
Pass YPG allowed 252.9 25th
Rush YPG allowed 103.6 11th
Points allowed 24.2 28th (tie) |
Injury Report
Chiefs
Injured Reserve
Mike Catapano.......DE
Joe McKnight........RB
Jeffery Allen.......G
Derrick Johnson.....LB
Mike DeVito.........DT
Tyler Bray..........QB
Sanders Comings.....CB
Dezmon Moses........LB
Cyrus Gray..........RB
Demetrius Harris....TE
AJ Jenkins..........wr
Questionable
Tamba Hali..........LB..........Knee
Dwayne Bowe.........WR..........Illness
Probable
Sean Smith..........CB..........Groin
Anthony Fasano......TE..........Knee
Jamaal Charles......RB..........Knee
Joe Mays............LB..........Knee
Christopher Owens...CB..........Knee
Allen Bailey........DE..........Concussion
Zachery Fulton......G...........Toe
Phillip Gaines......CB..........Concussion
Joshua Mauga........LB..........Oblique
Jaye Howard.........DE..........Illness
Steelers
Injured Reserve
Larry Asante........DB
Cortez Allen........CB
Brett Keisel........DE
Jordan Zumwalt......LB
Bryant Browning.....OG
Doubtful
Troy Polamalu.......S...........Knee
Ivan Taylor.........CB..........Shoulder
Questionable
Matt Spaeth.........TE..........Elbow
Probable
William Gay.........CB..........Not Injury Related
Marcus Gilbert......T...........Ankle
James Harrison......LB..........Knee
Stephen McLendon....DT..........Not Injury Related
Earl Miller.........TE..........Not Injury Related
Michael Mitchell....S...........Groin
LaShawn Pouncey.....C...........Ankle
Ben Roethlisberger..QB..........Not Injury Related
Markus Wheaton......WR..........Illness
ESPN Game Preview
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs are in the hunt for playoff spots, but one will have a much more challenging path after this weekend.
Following a pair of wins over other teams vying for postseason berths, the Steelers attempt to continue riding the NFL's best offense while trying to solve the Chiefs' stingy defense Sunday at Heinz Field.
Pittsburgh (9-5) enters Week 16 in a wild-card spot, and tied with Baltimore for second in the AFC Central, one-half game behind first-place Cincinnati.
While the Ravens visit Houston on Sunday, the Bengals aren't in action until Monday against Denver, which has already clinched the AFC West.
The Steelers host the Bengals in next week's regular-season finale, while Baltimore faces Cleveland.
Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati 42-21 in Week 14 and followed that up with a 27-20 win at Atlanta last weekend.
"The last couple of games have been playoff games for us," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. "We've had to take that approach and that mindset because of how important every game was where we were record wise, seed-wise whatever you want to call it. We've kind of had that mentality for the last couple of weeks that it's time to get hot and play our best football.
"So we're just going to continue to try to do that."
The Chiefs (8-6) share that sentiment after ending a three-game losing streak with last Sunday's 31-13 win over lowly Oakland, reviving their hopes of eventually claiming a wild-card spot.
Kansas City wraps up the regular season at home versus San Diego, one of eight other teams vying for one of the two wild-card berths.
"Every game is playoff-mode," running back Jamaal Charles said. "Every game, you've got to come with it."
The Steelers are certainly doing it behind the league's top offense, gaining 424.9 yards per game and scoring 33.1 points while winning six of eight.
"We're trying to stack wins," cornerback William Gay said. "Playing against good opponents and just putting everything on the line."
Much of the focus is on their Big Three of Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le'Veon Bell, who are setting records along the way.
Roethlisberger's 4,415 passing yards are already a franchise record, while his 67.2 completion percentage is a career high. He's also tossed 29 touchdowns, three off his 2007 personal best.
Brown's 115 receptions lead the league, and are already a single-season team record. He set the franchise mark of 1,499 receiving yards last year, and needs just two yards to pass it. He's also one TD catch short of becoming the fourth Steelers wide receiver to grab a dozen, potentially joining Hines Ward (2002), Louis Lipps (1985) and Buddy Dial (1961).
Bell's 76 receptions are the most by a Steelers running back, 25 more than the previous record set by John L. Williams in 1994. He's also amassed a team-record 2,043 yards from scrimmage.
Another big game through the air won't come easy Sunday, with the Chiefs owning the second-best pass defense in the NFL at 199.2 yards per game.
"It's a good defense. We have to look at a lot more film because they get after the passer (and are) good in the secondary," Roethlisberger said. "This is going to be one of our toughest tasks of the year."
Kansas City relies heavily on Charles and Knile Davis, putting pressure on Pittsburgh's run defense, which has allowed 183 yards and one touchdown over the last two games.
The tandem has combined for 1,388 rushing yards and accounted for 21 of the team's 36 touchdowns.
Davis was key again last weekend after Charles underwent a concussion test following a hit. The second-year running back scored twice, including a 70-yard catch.
"Like Jamaal said, every game from here forward is a playoff game. We're taking that mindset into every game," Davis said. "For me, it's just a dream to be in the NFL. To make the big plays and help this team win is just huge all around."
The Chiefs could use some production from their wide receivers, who haven't scored a touchdown in 17 games to tie Cleveland (2008-09) and Denver (1971-72) for the longest such streak since the merger.
Alex Smith has thrown for 18 TDs this season, with Charles and tight end Travis Kelce grabbing five apiece.
"The fact that they're still winning games and haven't been able to have passing touchdowns like that, it shows that they're a very resourceful team," Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats said.
Pittsburgh has won four straight at home against Kansas City since a loss on Dec. 21, 1986.
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