Chiefs handle Steelers, capture AFC’s top seed

PITTSBURGH — The Kansas City Chiefs completed the final of their regular-season targets on Wednesday — and nonetheless with one recreation remaining.

The 15-1 Chiefs clinched the AFC’s prime playoff seed by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 29-10. They’ll get a first-round playoff bye and play all of their postseason video games (earlier than Tremendous Bowl LIX) at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs will end the common season subsequent weekend with a recreation towards the Broncos in Denver.

Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all of at the moment’s motion, answering lingering questions popping out of every recreation and detailing every little thing else you have to know for each workforce. Let’s get to it.

Most stunning efficiency: Chiefs defensive finish Mike Danna took benefit of expanded enjoying time within the absence of Chris Jones to have an enormous go speeding recreation. Danna, who entered the sport with 1.5 sacks this season, sacked Russell Wilson twice (the Chiefs had 5 sacks in whole).

QB breakdown: Patrick Mahomes lastly bought the deep ball for which he had been advocating a lot of the season. Mahomes’ 49-yard go to Justin Watson within the first quarter traveled 40 yards within the air, making it his second-longest such go of the season. His TD to Xavier Worthy in Week 4 towards the Chargers went 54 yards within the air.

Prediction for subsequent week: Now that they’ve locked up the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed, the Chiefs will sit as lots of their key gamers as they fairly can in subsequent week’s regular-season finale towards the Broncos. The checklist contains gamers with accidents, like Mahomes and Chris Jones, however might additionally embody Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy. These gamers could have an prolonged break, with the Chiefs getting a first-round playoff bye. — Adam Teicher

Subsequent recreation: at Broncos (Jan. 5, TBD)

What does this loss imply for the Steelers? The one factor worse than getting coal on Christmas morning? A loss on Christmas afternoon.

The Steelers continued their late-season slide, dropping their third straight. For the third week in a row, the Steelers lacked the sort of complementary soccer that helped them win earlier within the season. Even the return of George Pickens, Donte Jackson and DeShon Elliott could not assist the Steelers overcome offensive miscues and defensive lapses that led to extra wide-open touchdowns.

The Steelers have already got a playoff spot locked up, however they’re in actual hazard of shedding the division title and a first-round house playoff recreation. They not management their very own future to win the division and want at the very least one loss from Baltimore to have an opportunity to clinch the crown.

QB breakdown: Although he was dealing with a defensive entrance lacking a game-wrecker in Jones, Wilson nonetheless struggled in an uneven efficiency. Not solely was he sacked 5 occasions for 43 yards; Wilson additionally had his second pink zone turnover in as many video games. This time, he was picked off in the long run zone by Justin Reid as he tried to power the ball to Pat Freiermuth.

Wilson’s ball safety was additionally a difficulty for the second week in a row when he dropped the ball attempting to elude strain on the primary sequence (he recovered the fumble). Regardless of his miscues, Wilson had moments of brilliance, together with two first-down passes to Freiermuth en path to a scoring drive capped by Wilson’s 1-yard landing run. Wilson completed 23-of-37 for 205 yards.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Revealing loss. With a lift from the return of a number of key gamers, the Steelers had an opportunity to proper the ship — or at the very least begin turning it round — towards a tricky workforce enjoying with out its greatest defender. As an alternative, they took on extra water in a blowout loss and do not look like a workforce able to making noise within the playoffs.

Troubling pattern: The Steelers have allowed a league-high 13 first-quarter touchdowns, together with two to the Chiefs on Wednesday. Not solely did the Chiefs get on the board twice within the opening body, however the scores got here on back-to-back drives. On the primary, the Chiefs scored on a brief area after a subpar punt by Corliss Waitman, and on the second, the Steelers’ secondary gave up a 49-yard go from Mahomes to Watson to arrange a landing from the pair three performs later. These touchdowns put the Steelers in a 13-0 gap simply 11 minutes into the sport.

Promising pattern: Jaylen Warren is out-snapping and out-performing Najee Harris. The 2022 undrafted free agent is lastly wholesome after nagging accidents decreased his position for a lot of the season, and for the second week in a row, he had a much bigger position than former first-round decide Harris. Warren averaged 6.5 yards per carry and had 5 catches for 41 yards. — Brooke Pryor

Subsequent recreation: vs. Bengals (Jan. 5, TBD)