If “Chiefs 29, Steelers 10 on Christmas” were a Netflix DVD you got in the mail, it’s best to send it back without ever watching. Regular season or playoffs, normal Sunday or holiday, the Steelers still can’t solve the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs.
Mahomes did what he’s done every time he’s faced the Steelers, torching them for just about whatever he wanted to do in the passing game, throwing for 320 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions on 29-of-38 passing. He was nearly picked off by Patrick Queen in the first half, but the Steelers’ every-down inside linebacker let their best opportunity for a takeaway slip through his hands.
And it would’ve been nice to get a short field off of that, too, for an offense that was under siege all game. Even without All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who was out with a calf injury, the Chiefs (15-1) sacked Russell Wilson four times for a loss of 38 yards. Wilson’s inability to escape pressure consistently was a problem behind an offensive line that has hit a wall late in the season.
Just about everyone up front is struggling, other than perhaps veteran stalwart Isaac Seumalo at left guard. But Wilson also served up a horrendous interception in the end zone to Justin Reid after a fumble he nearly lost earlier. Pat Freiermuth did end up losing a fumble less than two minutes into the fourth quarter when he had the ball ripped away by cornerback Trent McDuffie, highlighting just how much the Steelers (10-6) gave the game to the Chiefs and how easily the two-time reigning Super Bowl champs took it.
Wilson had just 205 yards and zero touchdowns on 23-of-37 passing, though he did tack on 55 encouraging rushing yards and a score on a 1-yard keeper. The scoreboard playing “Renegade” with 9:58 remaining and down 19 points was either the highlight or lowlight of the game, depending on your perspective.
It was over when: Mahomes found a wide-open Travis Kelce in the back of the end zone and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend brought in the ball, dunked it over the crossbar, celebrated with JuJu Smith-Schuster and drew a harmless penalty as the Chiefs went up three scores early in the fourth quarter.
Player of the game: Jaylen Warren. He had the most juice for the Steelers offense, let alone the running game. Warren refused to go down on first contact. He produced on the ground and through the air. At least for now, he clearly has eclipsed Najee Harris in the backfield. Lately, it’s not even close who’s the better fit for this offense. Warren finished with 71 rushing yards on just 11 carries, plus 41 yards receiving on five catches. And he should’ve had an even more impressive stat line, but he lost 8 yards and a touchdown because of a Darnell Washington holding call that was ticky-tack by the officials.
Trending up: Mark Robinson. It’s easy to forget that Robinson, a 2022 seventh-round pick, is still on this defense because of how little he plays in that phase of the game. But beyond providing inside linebacker depth, Robinson has been a difference-maker on special teams. He had his second forced fumble in as many weeks on punt coverage, hitting hard and dislodging the ball when he makes contact. It’s just too bad for him and the Steelers they didn’t recover either one.
Trending down: James Pierre. Donte Jackson already was struggling at cornerback before he missed the Ravens game with a back injury, but with Joey Porter Jr. sidelined by a knee injury of his own, there was James Pierre allowing an 11-yard touchdown to South Fayette High School product Justin Watson three plays after Watson burned Jackson for a 49-yard grab. Pierre got the start in place of Porter but was benched for Cory Trice Jr. mid-game.
Up next: Some might say a merciful finale to the regular season, back home at Acrisure Stadium for Round 2 against a Bengals team that’s playing better and still hanging by a thread in a hunt for the AFC’s seventh seed.
First Published: December 25, 2024, 8:59 p.m.
Updated: December 26, 2024, 3:09 a.m.
