The Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers was supposed to be a marquee matchup for the NFL to put on its Netflix debut for Christmas Day. Two Hall of Fame coaches, one on offense, the other on defense, going head to head, as one of the all-time greats at quarterback took center stage meant this one had all the makings of a great game.
Unfortunately, it did not live up to the billing. A Chiefs team that hardly blows anyone out (no victories by more than 14 before Wednesday), lay the work on the Steelers, dismantling them 29-10. Kansas City had an instant 13-point lead in an instant and didn’t look back.
One Pittsburgh legend believes it wasn’t the Chiefs’ greatness, but rather their opponent’s competitiveness — or lack thereof — that led to the blowout loss.
Pittsburgh Steelers Get Called Out By Le’Veon Bell
The Steelers have had a weird season right from the offset. Due to the turmoil under center, it looked like this might finally be the year that head coach Mike Tomlin had a losing year. However, after starting 4-2 under Justin Fields, they made the bold decision to bench him for Russell Wilson who was healed from his injury. The immediate results were undeniable, as they went 6-1 over their next seven contests.
Then, an injury to receiver George Pickens complicated matters, as Wilson lost his favorite target and best downfield threat. Immediately, the team lost two straight games by an average of 15.5 points.
The return of Pickens combined with the prestigious Christmas Day/Netflix debut stage gave Pittsburgh the opportunity to bounce back with the world watching.
the steelers gave up 😭
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) December 25, 2024
That didn’t come to pass, with the Steelers suffering their widest loss of the season.
According to former Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers “gave up.” Fans, justifiably, seemed to agree with Bell on social media. In the first half, Wilson killed a drive with a fumble (that he recovered for an 11-yard loss) and an interception in the end zone, giving the Chiefs an insurmountable lead.
Kansas City didn’t break a sweat the rest of the afternoon, finding its largest win of the year with the offense humming like units of recent years.
The loss brought back memories of the 2020 season under Mike Tomlin.
That year, the team started 10-1, before dropping four of their last five en route to a first-round playoff exit. With Pittsburgh losing four of its last six, and potentially four straight to end the year, Steelers fans are growing nervous as the playoffs approach.
Week 18 against the Cincinnati Bengals has turned into an awfully important affair for Pittsburgh’s confidence heading into postseason play.
