A spectacular stretch in the middle of their season has the Kansas City Chiefs positioned to control their own destiny ahead of the playoffs in January. Currently occupying the AFC’s top seed following losses by the Tenessee Titans and New England Patriots in Week 15, the Chiefs have to handle business through the end of their schedule to ensure they get the coveted first-round bye allocated for the conferences’ top teams.
Head coach Andy Reid knows the impact a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers would have on his team’s chances to make another run at the Super Bowl. He told reporters at his Wednesday press conference that he isn’t overlooking this week’s competition despite their middling 7-6-1 record.
“They’re a good football team,” Reid said. “They do a lot of different things offensively and defensively, and likewise special teams. You’ve got to be on you’re A-game with them. You saw what they did this past weekend with Tennessee, so we’ve got to cover everything and then we’ve got to make sure we do what our guys do best and get out and play. That’s how we roll. But they’re a heck of a team.”
Defensive end Frank Clark, one of the Chiefs’ emotional leaders on Sundays, echoed Reid’s comments during the team’s media availability on Thursday, telling reporters how precocious the Steelers have been in pursuit of a playoff berth this season. Of particular note, Clark said, was the leadership of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He finds it especially effective when paired with the elite running game Pittsburgh has assembled.
“[The Steekers are] Led by a veteran quarterback who knows all the tricks and trades of game, has obviously been successful and has won in this league,” Clark explained when asked what he saw in Pittsburgh’s film. “Just going with a team that is of course going to rally around him and their coach. They’re fighting for possession just like we are. No one has anything given to them at this point.
“Everyone is still battling for spots in the playoffs and fighting to finish the season off strong. A tough team, the Pittsburgh Steelers traditionally have always been tough. Great, great, great front guys, they got great set of core receivers and stuff like that. I feel like they got two solid running backs, definitely a strength at that position. I think Najee Harris is playing some good football this year as a rookie coming in, so hats off to him.”
Pittsburgh is coached by one of the most dynamic skippers in the NFL in Mike Tomlin, and they’re sure to be eager to knock off the Chiefs to prove their worth and salvage any chance they have of making the playoffs. COVID-19 has dominated the conversation around the late-season matchup, and while Kansas City is likely to face the Steelers without the services of several key starters, the expectation of excellence remains as long as Patrick Mahomes is under center.
Reid is 2-4 against Tomlin since he joined the Chiefs in 2013, and will need to bring one of his best game plans of the season if he wants to get away with a win. He is smart to respect the Steelers’ dynamic abilities in all phases of their game, and will need to rely on solid performances from all players on his gameday roster to maintain Kansas City’s status as the AFC’s top dog.
