KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Three weeks ago, the Steelers' season hit its lowest point with a 36-10 loss to the Chiefs that wasn't even as close as the massive gap in the final score would indicate.
The Steelers were simply outclassed and, in the words of Mike Tomlin, "smashed" by the Chiefs the day after Christmas at Arrowhead Stadium.
That loss dropped the Steelers to 7-7-1 and on the outside looking in on the playoff race in the AFC. Things looked bleak. After all, in the Steelers had lost four of six games and had allowed 36 or more points in all four of the losses.
Then, Ben Roethlisberger made the decision to announce that barring something unforeseen, the team's game Jan. 3 at Heinz Field against the Browns was likely to be his last regular season game there.
The Steelers dismantled the Browns, 26-14, then slipped past the Ravens in Baltimore, 16-13, in overtime last weekend in what could have been Roethlisberger's final regular season game.
After all, the Steelers (9-7-1) still needed help to get into the playoffs by having the Colts lose to the two-win Jaguars, while not having the Sunday night game between the Chargers and Raiders to end in a tie.
It all happened, though the Raiders had to kick a 47-yard field goal as time expired to make it so, and the Steelers earned ... another shot at the Chiefs (12-5) in Kansas City.
"We haven't discussed it, but I think, I would assume as a group you understand that we probably aren't supposed to be here," Roethlisberger said, tongue firmly planted in his cheek. "We probably are not a very good football team. Out of 14 teams that are in, we're probably at number 14. We're double-digit underdogs in the playoffs. So, let's just go play and have fun and see what happens."
The reality is that the Steelers are taking this game very seriously.
The thought that this is going to be the 39-year-old Roethlisberger's final season has been sitting there percolating all season. But his announcement drove the point home. And it seemed to focus the Steelers into trying to get the team's longtime quarterback one more game each week.
Now, they have. But they want more than just one playoff game.
"It’s always that thought or that notion sitting on the side," guard Trai Turner said of Roethlisberger's impending retirement. "Everybody kind of knows what’s going on. We want to win it for him for sure, 100 percent. But you (also) want to win it for yourself. That’s just added motivation.
"You’re going out there for a guy who gives his all every week. I’m able to see that up close and personal. I’m right there by him. It’s definitely added motivation to know this is possibly the last one. Let’s go out with a bang. But also, I’m old enough to know you never know when you’ll get back. You’ve got to go out with a bang."
Whatever works.
And in this case, it has. The Steelers are alive. But are they dangerous?
Well, Roethlisberger and his fourth-quarter comeback ability make them so.
Roethlisberger has thrown for 5,757 passing yards in the playoffs in his career, and will surely pass a couple of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks on the all-time list in this game. Joe Montana is in fourth place all-time with 5,772 and Brett Favre is in third with 5,855.
But he also has six fourth-quarter comebacks and seven game-winning drives this season. Both led the NFL.
“Obviously, a couple weeks ago the game didn’t go the way that they wanted to, I think. As a team, we were able to get off to a fast start. I don’t think we’re necessarily expecting it to be that kind of a ballgame,” Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu said. “Just watching these guys the last couple weeks, even before we played them a couple weeks ago, this was a big fourth-quarter, second-half team. So, for us, coming into this game, we understand it’s going to be a four-quarter game, possibly could be more.
“And then you’re dealing with a quarterback that really has all the experience in the world. He’s won two championships, he’s been to the playoffs a bunch, and then he has some great talent around him as well. So, we’ve got our work cut out for us. I think for us, it’s all about how we start the game and then how we finish Sunday."
The Steelers know the same. And they know if they can weather the storm early, they have one of the best of all-time in the clutch -- even now.
"You could write a book just on Ben’s game-winning or go-ahead scores," Cam Heyward said. "The guy, you give him a chance, he’s going to do it. As a defense, we’re banging on our heads because all we’ve got to do is give him a chance to go do it."
That's all Roethlisberger wants -- a chance. He was part of the Steelers' run through the 2005 playoffs when they entered the postseason as the last seed in the AFC playoffs and went on to win the Super Bowl as players dedicated themselves to winning for Jerome Bettis.
But at that point, Bettis was a respected team leader but part-time player for the Steelers and Roethlisberger was a second-year quarterback. On this team, Roethlisberger remains the straw that stirs the drink for the Steelers. And this team doesn't have the talent the 2005 roster had. After all, the Steelers had gone 15-1 the previous season.
The upset was that team having to sneak into the playoffs as the AFC's final seed. With the current team, it seems to be more of an upset they're even still alive.
Now, the question is, what can they do with this opportunity?
The oddsmakers don't give them much of a chance. The Steelers are 13-point underdogs, the largest spread of the weekend.
"I don't care about the underdog thing," said rookie running back Najee Harris. "I don't think that matters at all. Any time that you're playing a sport, no matter what people say or think, it does not help a team win or lose a game because they're not playing the game at all. They're just giving their comments.
"For us to be here and have the opportunity to play, I'm always excited for that. Let's have fun. Let's compete."
THE ESSENTIALS
• Who: Steelers (9-7-1) vs. Chiefs (12-5)
• When: 8:15 p.m., Sunday
• Where: Arrowhead Stadium
• Forecast: 20°, 1% chance snow, 7-mph wind
• TV: WPXI, NBC (national)
• Radio: 102.5 WDVE, ESPN Pittsburgh
• Streaming: Steelers Nation Radio
• Satellite: Sirius XM 225, online 826
• Media notes: Steelers | Chiefs
THE INJURY REPORT
Chiefs: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder, out), RB Darrel Williams (toe, questionable)
THE COVID LIST
Steelers: LB Buddy Johnson, CB James Pierre
Chiefs: None
THE KEY VARIABLE
The Steelers' offense was, well, awful in the first meeting with the Chiefs. Their first six possessions resulted in six first downs, an interception, a missed field goal and a turnover on downs.
The Steelers were outgained by the Chiefs, 255-109 and trailed 23-0.
They didn't score their first -- and only -- touchdown until there was less than three minutes remaining in the game.
In other words, it was no contest.
"Two weeks ago was a really bad football game on our part," offensive coordinator Matt Canada admitted. "So, we have to make whatever changes we can make to make the outcome not look like it did. You’re not going to change your entire offense or anything. Obviously, we got to do a lot of things differently and much better."
The Steelers' game plan isn't likely to drastically change. Seventeen games into the season, it is what it is. They'll rely on Harris, who did have 93 yards on 19 carries in the first meeting, to try to keep Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and company standing on the sideline. And they'll use their passing game with Roethlisberger getting the ball out quickly to try to move the chains when needed, taking an occasional shot down the field.
And Roethlisberger will be doing it with some players he didn't have available to him in the first meeting. Tight end Pat Freiermuth was dealing with a concussion and missed that game, while wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, on injured reserve since Week 5 with a shoulder injury, began practicing this week and is expected to see playing time against the Chiefs.
The Steelers also made an adjustment on their offensive line, inserting J.C. Hassenauer at center the past two games after rookie Kendrick Green was injured in the game against the Chiefs.
The Steelers also turned the ball over three times in that game. They know they can't have that kind of performance again.
"Yeah, like I tried to tell some of the younger guys, every mistake is magnified," Roethlisberger said. "Even a third-down drop can be magnified because the team you’re playing is a really good football team, too, obviously. They can capitalize on your mistakes.
"I’ve been in a lot of these games where the team that makes the fewest mistakes is going to win. So, you just go out there and try to play free and have fun and play football, but it does get a little bit faster. The intensity does pick up."
They need to look no farther than last year's playoff game against the Browns for evidence. The Steelers turned the ball over on each of their first two possessions and the Browns turned them both into touchdowns en route to a 28-0 first quarter lead. The Steelers made a game of it, losing 48-37, but turnovers in a game like this are fatal to a team's hopes of winning.
What will be interesting will be if the Steelers have any tricks up their sleeve. They're a big underdog and playing an explosive offense. If they can steal a possession along the way either by forcing a turnover, going for a fourth down they normally wouldn't have tried to even pulling out a trick play, anything should be on the table.
After all, if they lose, the season is over. There's no reason to leave anything in your bag of tricks.
But at the end of the day, the Steelers offense will live or die with what it does best -- or at least with what it perceives it's done the best this season.
"We've started to be able to run the ball at some key times," Canada said. "(We) finished the Browns game with a big run, (we) finished the Ravens game with a big run to get us in position and it's not where we want it to be. We're not sitting there churning out six, seven-yard runs and the things that we're all hoping to do.
"But I think up front and protection wise, we had a couple like we always do, but for the most part, I think we're doing the best we can. We're moving guys around and we're really proud of how hard those guys were playing. I think when we look at the situation and the guys that are out, the guys that are stepping up. I think they deserve a lot of credit for how hard they're playing and how much effort they're giving. Obviously the last two weeks people -- we've got all that matters which are W's and that's all we're trying to get."
THE HISTORY LESSON
The Chiefs and Steelers have met twice before in the AFC playoffs, splitting those two games. And both have been at Arrowhead Stadium.
The first came in 1993 against Montana and Marty Schottenheimer, with the Chiefs winning that one in overtime.
The one we'll look back at today came Jan. 15, 2017.
The Steelers were AFC North champions but were the third seed in the AFC playoffs behind the Patriots and Chiefs. After beating the Dolphins, 30-12, in the Wildcard round, the Steelers rolled into an ice storm at Arrowhead -- literally.
An ice storm rolled through Kansas City early in the day, pushing the start of things back to an 8:20 p.m. start.
Throwing the ball was something of a chore -- for both teams. But that was just fine for the Steelers, who had ridden Le'Veon Bell the entire second half of the regular season.
Bell, who had set the Steelers' postseason record the previous week against the Dolphins, rushing for 167 yards on 29 carries, did it again in this game. Bell had 30 carries for 170 yards, with the Steelers needing every one of those to slip past the Chiefs.
The Steelers took the opening kickoff and got to the Kansas City 5 on an 8-yard run by Bell. But two consecutive passes failed to get the team into the end zone and the Steelers settled for a 22-yard Chris Boswell field goal.
The Chiefs returned a short kickoff to the 45 and Alex Smith completed four-straight passes, the last of which was a 5-yard touchdown pass to Albert Wilson for a 7-3 lead.
The Steelers answered with Roethlisberger connecting with Antonio Brown on a 52-yard pass to set up another Boswell field goal -- sense a trend? -- to make it 7-6, then regained the lead on their next possession as Bell began to exert himself.
He carried the ball seven times for 26 yards, helping set up a third Boswell field goal early in the second quarter to make it 9-7.
The Steelers drove to the Kansas City 5 on their next possession, but Roethlisberger was intercepted by Eric Berry at the goal line to thwart the drive.
After forcing another punt, Bell went back to work, gaining 32 yards on five carries to set up Boswell for his fourth field goal of the half, a 45-yarder that made it 12-7.
The Chiefs fumbled on their next possession and Artie Burns fell on the loose ball at the Kansas City 40 with three seconds remaining in the half. The Steelers tried to get Brown loose in the secondary, but his 29-yard reception from Roethlisberger came up short and the Steelers clung to their 5-point lead.
The Chiefs punted again to open the second half and Bell immediately ripped off a 38-yard run, following with three more runs for 11 yards to set up Boswell's fifth field goal of the game for a 15-7 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter.
After the teams traded punts, the Chiefs got a 48-yard field goal from Cairo Santos to cut the lead to 15-10, but once again the Steelers answered.
The Steelers drove to the Kansas City 19, but Roethlisberger was sacked by Jarvis Jenkins to forced Boswell's sixth field goal, a team postseason record, for an 18-10 lead.
Smith came out gunning on the Chiefs' next possession, hitting Travis Kelce for a 24-yard gain, then again for a 17-yard completion after a facemask penalty had pushed Kansas City into a second-and-25. That led to Smith converting fourth-and-8 with a 12-yard pass to Chris Conley.
Spencer Ware finished off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown that pulled the Chiefs to within 18-16 with 2:43 remaining in the game.
Kansas City lined up for a two-point conversion and Smith threw a completion in the end zone to Demetrius Harris. But Eric Fisher was penalized for holding James Harrison on the play, negating the score.
Smith's try from the 12 to Jeremy Maclin fell incomplete and the Steelers converted a first down with Roethlisberger throwing to Eli Rogers and Brown before taking three knees to secure the victory and send the Steelers to the AFC Championship the next week at New England.
Roethlisberger completed 20 of 31 passes for 221 yards, with Brown catching six passes for 108 yards and Jesse James adding five receptions for 83 yards.
Smith was 20 of 34 for 172 yards as the Chiefs managed just 227 total yards.
It marked the most recent playoff win for the Steelers, who have lost their last three, including that game the next week to the Patriots, 36-17.
KARL ROSER / STEELERS
Steelers strong safety Terrell Edmunds at practice this week.
THE MAIN MATCHUP
When the Steelers and Chiefs met in Week 16, the Chiefs were unsure whether they would have All-Pro tight end Kelce or wide receiver Tyreek Hill available because both were on the Reserve/COVID-19 List.
Hill wound up playing, but for only 29 snaps as he still wasn't anywhere close to 100 percent, and caught just two passes for 19 yards. Kelce didn't make it back.
Both are expected to play against the Steelers this time around, but are dealing with issues other than COVID-19.
Hill injured his heel during warmups of the Chiefs' Week 18 game against the Broncos and was largely used as a decoy when he was on the field. He played just 14 snaps and caught one pass for two yards.
Hill was a limited participant in practice all week long for the Chiefs but is expected to play in this game.
"That heel was sore after the game, and it’s making a little progress the other way, so we’re anticipating he’s going to be OK to go," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said.
Kelce, meanwhile, suffered a hip injury late in that game, though he hasn't missed any playing time this week.
Both present major challenges to any defense.
Hill, when right, is an explosive playmaker who can get behind a defense in the blink of an eye. But pay too much attention to him, and Kelce will beat you with intermediate routes.
They combined to catch 203 passes this season for 2,364 yards, well over 40 percent of Kansas City's passing game. Mahomes looks their way often, especially Kelce when he escapes the pocket.
"He's one of the best tight ends of all time," Joe Haden said. "Just because of the way he can split out and be as a wide receiver. He's a mismatch with linebackers and safeties and then with corners he's big, he's a little bigger than us. Him being able to run those routes, being able to find those holes in the zones, and then the trust in the quarterback, such a great quarterback, and then having a special player like him. They work hand-to-hand together.
"They do a lot of the same things as Ben back in the day. It's not a lot of the initial first route. It's more of the scramble, more of him creating time and letting those receivers create space. We just gotta be able to plaster and try to get after Pat and not let him have too much time in the pocket."
Kelce, like Hill, is especially dangerous after the catch. His 565 yards after the catch were seventh-most in the NFL this season, just ahead of the Steelers' Diontae Johnson, who had 532.
Everyone knows how shifty Johnson is. But Kelce gets up to full speed quickly, so his 250-plus pounds are a handful once he gets rolling, and he shows a niftiness in the open field.
The Steelers like to use strong safety Terrell Edmunds to cover the tight end in these situations. Last week against Baltimore, for example, he drew primary coverage responsibilities on Mark Andrews.
Andrews caught eight passes for 85 yards, but it took him 15 targets to get there. And he failed to score, while Edmunds had an interception. For the season, Edmunds has allowed 30 completions on 53 targets, but for just 224 yards and two touchdowns. His 63.7 passer rating allowed in coverage was in the top 5 for all NFL safeties this season.
Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler credits secondary coach Teryl Austin's work with Edmunds.
"Yeah, he's learned a lot," Butler said of Edmunds. "T.A. has done a good job of teaching. What he should be doing. What he shouldn't be doing. Where he should be lined up to help himself in terms of coverage. Not giving away what we're trying to do on defense. I think he's improved quite a bit."
But, as Haden said, defending Kelce is different. Andrews is good, and like Kelce, put up 1,000 yards this season. But Kelce remains the gold standard at the position. He's posted six-straight 1,000-yard seasons, a record for the tight end position.
And when he and Hill are both rolling, the Chiefs are nearly impossible to defend, especially with a talented passer such as Mahomes getting them the ball.
"Tyreek is a quick little dude man. It’s hard to keep him corralled a little bit but, they didn’t have Kelce so that helps a little bit too," Butler said of the first meeting. "When you go to double some people, he was the obvious choice of trying to do that. But he's still, I mean, the first time on third down, we had him doubled, he catches that one and he gets the first down. So, it's going to be a challenge.
"All the guys they got on the team; they’ve got a very good football team. Should they be the No. 1 seed? Well, no, obviously Tennessee is. So, they're right up there. It's not like we're going play the worst team right off the bat. We're not. We’re playing the best team. I think the best team in my opinion right off the bat. So, it’s like I said, that's what makes this game fun because the challenge of it and how you compete."
The Steelers also need an impact from T.J. Watt. Watt played just 55 percent of the snaps in the first meeting, hampered by rib and hip injuries. He's better now and fresh off tying the NFL's single-season sack record with 22.5.
Watt had just one tackle and no sacks in the first meeting and was clearly not himself.
"We know he's a great player. I'll leave it at that," Reid said. "We know that we've got to do a good job against him, or he wreaks havoc."
THE TEN DATA POINTS
• This is the 33rd appearance for the Steelers in the playoffs, breaking a tie with the Giants for third most all-time. The Packers (35) and Cowboys (34) are the leaders. The Chiefs are making their 24th appearance.
• The Steelers are 36-26 in 62 playoff games. The Chiefs are 15-20, while the two teams have split their previous two playoff meetings.
• Though Kansas City won the head-to-head matchup, the Chiefs and Steelers were both 7-5 against common opponents this season (the Bengals, Chargers, Ravens, Broncos, Browns, Raiders and Titans).
• Roethlisberger will tie Joe Montana for the fourth-most starts by a quarterback in the postseason with 23.
• The Chiefs led the NFL in third-down conversion percentage at 52.1 percent. The Steelers were seventh defensively, allowing a conversion 37.1 percent of the time.
• The Steelers finished fifth in red zone defense, allowing a touchdown 50.8 percent of the time. The Chiefs were 17th in red zone offense, scoring touchdowns at a 59.4 percent clip. The Steelers were 23rd in red zone offense at 54 percent. The Chiefs 17th defensively at 57.1 percent.
• Despite being led by Darrel Williams' 558 rushing yards, the Chiefs averaged 115 rushing yards per game, 16th in the NFL.
• Najee Harris' 381 touches without a fumble are an NFL rookie record.
• The Chiefs had 18 different players score touchdowns this season. The Steelers had nine different players score.
• Harris had 29 broken tackles this season. The Chiefs were credited with 14 broken tackles as a team for the season, though .
THE FANTASY CORNER
All good things must come to an end, and so it was with my six-week winning streak. Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Kenneth Gainwell were all fine. The rest of the lineup? Yuck. Let's get back on the horse. Remember, I'm building a fantasy lineup using Draft Kings and a $50,000 salary cap.
Quarterback: Jalen Hurts, Eagles ($6,100) -- Hurts rested his ankle last week. He'll run quite a bit and the Tampa Bay secondary is vulnerable.
Running back: Elijah Mitchell, 49ers ($5,500), Leonard Fournette, Bucs ($5,900) -- I'm banking on Mitchell and Fournette playing this week. If neither can go, I'll have to pivot, probably to Devin Singletary and Darrel Williams.
Wide receiver: CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys ($6,200), Cooper Kupp, Rams ($9,000), Diontae Johnson, Steelers, ($6,700) -- Three stud wide receivers. There is no explanation needed here. I should get 60-plus points out of this group with plenty of upside.
Tight end: Zach Ertz, Cardinals ($4,700) -- Ertz is a nice floor player. He'll get four or five catches. Maybe it won't be for a lot of yards, but if he scores, he's a bargain.
Flex: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers ($3,000) -- Like the Fournette gamble, I'm guessing if the Steelers activate Smith-Schuster it won't be for nothing. He looked good in practice. Fresh legs and really cheap
Defense: Cardinals ($2,900) -- The Cardinals can rush the passer and Matthew Stafford is prone to an interception or two.
