AFC Playoffs: Steelers @ Chiefs II

[papillon]

It will be vital for us to get off to a good start, IMO. Can't fall behind quickly like last time we played them.

I'm going with my dream: 29-year old Ben comes back for one game ... Steelers shock the Chefs, 24-23

I have been saying that all year, "Come on Ben, one more time for old times sake" Unfortunately, pulling the Ravens game out of the fire may have been his swan song of magic that has been his MO for the past 18 years. I hope there are a few more legendary drives in his bag of tricks but it has become clear that retirement is a good decision by Ben.

Pappy

[hawaiiansteel]

[LPMAN]

LMAO ! Ain't that the truth!

[SteelBucks]

I saw this earlier and laughed. That was definitely me Sunday!

[Flasteel]

I think we just need a little luck.

In the 1st game, Par threw an Int on KC’s 1st series that was overturned due to a penalty. Then he fumbled and KC recovered on the second series.

Ben started slow and then threw an Int on our second series. We ended up with 3 turnovers. That didn’t help our cause at all.

Where KC beat us was Pat having protection and being able to throw the ball further down the field than us.

The other difference was KC’s efficiency in the RZ.

But they didn’t run all over us. They weren’t real good on 3rd downs. We just need to protect Ben, the ball, and make a little luck and we’ll be in this.

The tone gets set early. Just like the bad snap in the playoffs against Cleveland last year. We need to avoid that.

We have to take a look in the mirror and accept the warts we have aren’t going to get fixed this season, so we need to game plan around them.

I feel like a broken record saying this, but it’s time to let Ben go no huddle and spread out the D on the first series.

None of this running Najee into a pile of bodies in the middle of the field for 2 no gainers to start the game. It’s time to play with some urgency. We’ve got to play like we have to get 5+ yards on 1st down to have a chance.

Even if we have to make believe. Just pretend it’s 4th and 5 on the first play and our season depends on making the 5 yards. Put Ben in high pressure situations from the jump and force him to make the plays he makes in the 4th Q right away.

I agree with everything you stated right up to the point where you wanted to have Ben slinging it everywhere. We need to keep Mahomes off the field and dominate the TOP. We need to test the middle and the outside of their run defense but be creative in the looks, formations, and plays. Give them some stuff in the run game that we haven't put on tape a whole lot. You're right...we can't just hammer Harris into a stagnant pile of humanity. Ben needs to take some shots down the field and over the middle, but I think we need to open everything up via the run. That will slow the rush and he can pick his spots to take those shots.

The Browns have the 12th-ranked run defense and Najee just gashed them for 188 yards. KC has the 21st-ranked rush defense and is giving up the 2nd highest YPC in the league - ahead of only the lowly Steeler run defense. This can be done!!

[NorthCoast]

Mahomes pretty much passed at will on the Steelers. In the first half he completed 75% of his passes avging 8.2 yds/att with a dozen first downs. KC didn't really need to run at all. Neither team was good on 3rd downs but Roethlisberger's 70% completion rate in the first half didn't mean much with a 5.2 yd/att average.

Begging them to please, please, please throw the ball down field. And use the entire field!!!.... especially seam routes to Muth and Gentry. This could be a big difference maker.

[Northern_Blitz]

Mahomes pretty much passed at will on the Steelers. In the first half he completed 75% of his passes avging 8.2 yds/att with a dozen first downs. KC didn't really need to run at all. Neither team was good on 3rd downs but Roethlisberger's 70% completion rate in the first half didn't mean much with a 5.2 yd/att average.

Begging them to please, please, please throw the ball down field. And use the entire field!!!.... especially seam routes to Muth and Gentry. This could be a big difference maker.

In the first game, I thought I remembered hearing that KC had allowed a very small number of sacks on plays that didn't break down.

I think they had the offensive line rebuild we were hoping for.

If that's the case, then we kind of lose our biggest defensive weapon.

Maybe the good news is that we saw what they looked like in a game they were really trying to win. Might make them easier to game plan for on defense. We all know that we're going to do basically the same thing on offense, so their job is easy already.

[NorthCoast]

In the first game, I thought I remembered hearing that KC had allowed a very small number of sacks on plays that didn't break down.

I think they had the offensive line rebuild we were hoping for.

If that's the case, then we kind of lose our biggest defensive weapon.

Maybe the good news is that we saw what they looked like in a game they were really trying to win. Might make them easier to game plan for on defense. We all know that we're going to do basically the same thing on offense, so their job is easy already.

They've gone to a shorter passing game; a) to protect Mahomes better from sacks, and b) defenses have been playing 2 deep safeties all season to protect against the big plays. And of course that makes the OL look great.His yds/att are way down from past seasons.

[Oviedo]

The key to hanging around in this game.. is sustaining drives.. moving the sticks.. chewing up clock.
Using the middle 3rd of the field vertically to set up some semblance of a running game.
If this offense starts out like we normally do.. we will get run off the field again.

This! If we can't convert third downs it will be a blow out

Recent play calling will result in failure

[Eddie Spaghetti]

i think we get smacked

hope im wrong

[feltdizz]

Keep it ugly and close.. that is our best shot.

[SteelBucks]

Must have sustained drives and no 3 and outs. Otherwise it will be 23-0 again at halftime.

[NorthCoast]

Must have sustained drives and no 3 and outs. Otherwise it will be 23-0 again at halftime.

It would fit with the 2021 Steelers... less than a TD scoring average in the first half. Defense better be doing a lot of wind sprints this week. It's gonna feel like a track meet out there. Maybe we'll get lucky and there will be a foot of snow on the field. Or is that a bad thing?!?....

[SteelBucks]

It would fit with the 2021 Steelers... less than a TD scoring average in the first half. Defense better be doing a lot of wind sprints this week. It's gonna feel like a track meet out there. Maybe we'll get lucky and there will be a foot of snow on the field. Or is that a bad thing?!?....

I’m hoping for a lot of things. Weather, Mahomes car breaks down on the way to the stadium, non-life threatening Covid outbreak. Stuff like that.

[Northern_Blitz]

Keep it ugly and close.. that is our best shot.

Maybe we'll get bad weather too. That might help level the playing field offensively.

Currently predicted to be around freezing. Low probability of precipitation. Winds around 5 mph.