It’s time for another AA round table where we ask our staff writers for their weekly predictions. Will the Chiefs finally beat the Steelers to start 2-0?
Here we go with Week 2 of the NFL season upon us and the Kansas City Chiefs are preparing to face the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. This has become quite the rivalry for Kansas City. Though they are not in our division, Mike Tomlin’s team have sure have become our kryptonite.
The Steelers have had our number in recent years, although the Chiefs have always been in the fight. It’s almost always a one-score game and the Chiefs have always been only a few plays from being victorious. Something always happens, however, and the Chiefs always seem to be on the losing end. Will it be different this go round? Let see what the Arrowhead Addict writers think.
By the way, the average score from our writers were: Chiefs 27.1, Steelers 26.9. It’s going to be a close one folks.
Steelers 38, Chiefs 27
I’d love to pick the Chiefs following their win against the Chargers in Week 1, but I’m going to have to go with the Steelers. Not only have the Chiefs lost four of their last five against the Steelers, but the Steelers are going to be mad after they tied with the Browns. The Chiefs offense should continue the success it saw last week, but the Steelers are likely to take advantage of the Chiefs’ defensive weak spots and light up the scoreboard as well. If Le’veon Bell is still absent, the Chiefs might have a better chance at winning, but James Conner showed the Steelers don’t need Bell to have a solid running game.
Steelers 28, Chiefs 24
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Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs have went 1-4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and on top of it, it’s a home game for the Steel Curtain. The Steelers are 11-4 at home against Chiefs. So, needless to say, this game is not looking to be in favor for K.C. I do believe it will be a close game similar to their last two meetings.
Steelers 24, Chiefs 13
Mike Tomlin’s team has frustrated the Chiefs on three straight occasions, including some out-and-out ugly performances in the last couple years. While the parts might be here to grow into a team that can stop the run, get after the passer and so on, last week showed the defense isn’t there yet. There’s little reason to believe that a coach like Tomlin can’t find the holes on this young roster and exploit them—even with such a powerful offense.
Chiefs 28, Steelers 20
Chiefs are going to struggle defensively. It’s going to be tough, it won’t be pretty, and the offensive line for the Chiefs will have their hands full. The defensive key to this game for the Chiefs is pressure. If they can apply pressure to Big Ben, then they may have a chance. It’ll be a tough one, but I think the Chiefs pull it off.
Steelers 31, Chiefs 27
The Chiefs are riding high off their week one road win but now they have to go back on the road against a team that has traditionally had their number. Patrick Mahomes may change the Chiefs’ dynamic but the fact that the Steelers let a win slip away against the Browns last week will have them fired up. Big Ben will be looking to rebound after his three-interception performance and K.C.’s secondary may be just the thing to get him back on track. The offense will keep K.C. in it but this time they fall a little short in another high scoring game.
Steelers 34, Chiefs 31
As breathtaking as the offense was, the defense was equally the opposite. Antonio Brown isn’t going to have stone hands to save this secondary from getting burned consistently, nor is JuJu Smith-Schuster. Roethlisberger might be far from his prime, but he’s not gonna look as bad as he did the last week in the Steelers home opener. Le’Veon Bell isn’t playing, which honestly could be the deciding factor here, but I have hard time believing the Steelers’ offense won’t still have a big day without him. Mahomes and company continue to light the league on fire, but the Chiefs defense makes Rothlisberger look ten years younger. If the Chiefs’ offense keeps on rolling and their defense looks anything better than a sieve on Sunday, I’ll be shocked. Perhaps enough to move my chips a little away from the 2019 Chiefs and closer to this 2018 squad.
Steelers 43, Chiefs 38
The Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes will have a harder test this week than the one they faced against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Pittsburgh Steelers are great at bringing pressure from all angles and will do their best to try to fluster the young quarterback. The Chiefs defense can’t expect the Pittsburgh wide receivers to drop as many balls as the Chargers did. It’s going to be a shootout at Heinz Field this week.
Steelers 27, Chiefs 23
The Steelers are the Chiefs kryptonite. I don’t see that changing this week. If the Steelers had beaten the Browns, the Chiefs would have a better chance. It always seems like Pittsburgh has an embarrassing game right before they play the Chiefs. Now the Steelers will be focused and determined to win. The Chiefs are going to Heinz Field with their questionable secondary against a healthy Ben Rothlisberger. Hope it’s a close game.
Chiefs 27, Steelers 20
An aging Rothlisberger is coming off a three interception game against the Browns, a team much improved from last year but still a major work in progress. While the Chiefs defense struggled in the first game, it was against a better offense. The Chiefs finally get the monkey off their back and get a much-needed W.
Chiefs 42, Steelers 38
The Steelers have had the Chiefs number for a while now, but the Chiefs have always been just a couple of plays from victory. With Patrick Mahomes leading the offense he gives the Chiefs that couple of missing plays they need. It will be a shootout no question, and Mahomes and Big Ben will both throw for over 350 yards and 3 touchdowns. It will be close, but Chiefs finally beat that curse called the Steelers.
Chiefs 31, Steelers 24
The Steelers only post 24 points but not due to the Chiefs defense, which showed a bend but don’t break ability vs L.A., but rather their own offensive struggles without Bell. Patrick Mahomes has another good day and Travis Kelce gets going after a silent Week 1.
Chiefs 26, Steelers 24
Since Andy Reid joined the Kansas City Chiefs, they are 1-4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’ve scored more than 16 points just once in those contests; their lone win in 2015 which came against backup Landry Jones. The key to this game will be stopping new Steelers starting running back James Conner. In the Chiefs previous two matchups they gave up 170+ yards rushing in each game. That can not happen again.
Steelers 24, Chiefs 21
The Chiefs are coming off an excellent season opener, beating the Chargers relatively easily. This week is going to look a lot different. The Chiefs are like the Chargers were last week, in that they haven’t been able to prove they can beat the other team. For that reason, I think this is a loss to the Steelers. Off of a humiliating tie against the Browns, this will be a close game that ends in a Steelers win.
Chiefs 34, Steelers 27
I believe that the Chiefs will end the drought against the Steelers. The Steelers will be fired up to get a win and the Chiefs defense will struggle again. Roethlisberger throws for 380 yards. Pat Mahomes has three touchdowns, two of which, to Travis Kelce.
Steelers 48, Chiefs 21
The Chiefs head to Pittsburgh with a better chance to beat the Steelers than they’ve ever had under Andy Reid. The Steelers have been a perpetual thorn in the side of Reid’s Chiefs. The Steelers defense seems to match up incredibly well against the Chiefs offense. The Steelers have a banged up Ben Roethlisberger and no Le’veon Bell so the Chiefs actually have a really good chance to win this game. That is, however, if Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster miss the team flight. Prepare to come crashing back to earth Chiefs fans. Pittsburgh zone blitz defense will be a baptism by fire for Mahomes, and Brown and Smith-Schuster will have their way against this Chiefs secondary. Steelers squash the Red and Gold.
Chiefs 14, Steelers 10
Ben Roethlisberger is coming off the worst game of his career. He is fortunate that the Steelers tied with the Browns, rather than losing to them. This game depends on how Dee Ford and Justin Houston will do. The Steelers offensive line could not stop Cleveland. I trust Ford and Houston will pressure Roethlisberger and the Chiefs can take another road game before their home opener in a low-scoring bout.
Chiefs 41, Steelers 38
The defense played well on Sunday. Don’t let the 4th quarter fool you. Mahomes and company played well and put up points. Pittsburgh is mostly a zone team, I believe Mahomes will expose the holes in the zone. Pittsburgh going with James Conner and he will test our defense. Chiefs pull out a close victory here in what could be a shootout.
Steelers 30, Chiefs 27
The Chiefs come into Pittsburgh with as much confidence as they have at any time in the Andy Reid era. They have a QB who can compete with Big Ben and an improved defense that doesn’t have to face Le’Veon Bell. I really want to pick the Chiefs, but just like the Chargers last week, I can’t pick a team to beat their daddy until they prove they can. So I’m going to pick the Steelers, but I won’t be surprised at all if the Chiefs come out with a win.