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A playoff berth has the Kansas City Chiefs matched up against the Pittsburgh Steelers to kick off their run to February’s Super Bowl. After disappointing in the penultimate game of the regular season with a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals that cost them the AFC’s top spot, Kansas City corrected course on Saturday, squeaking out a win against the lowly Denver Broncos to ensure a strong finish to the season.
All eyes are on the Chiefs again this postseason, and after showing the way they were able to take care of Pittsburgh on the day after Christmas, Kansas City is a heavy favorite on wild-card weekend. Head coach Andy Reid isn’t overlooking the Steelers, despite the team’s earlier success against them. He told the media on Monday that the Steelers are a well-coached group that is playing winning football, especially down the stretch.
“I think they’re playing well together,” Reid said. “I think they’re doing a nice job with that. Ben’s (Roethlisberger) playing well. The runner’s running well. The offensive line’s doing a nice job, and Pittsburgh’s always good on that defensive side. They fly around. They’ve got some all-star players on that side of the ball that do really well. Their wide receivers are very good too on the offensive side. They’re a good football team. They’re well-coached and the organization with the Rooney family is strong. It’s been strong for so many years.”
After a short week of preparation to face the Broncos, Kansas City has the benefit of a normal schedule heading into this game, which should ensure they have enough time to adequately prepare for anything Pittsburgh might throw at them. As this is likely to be Ben Roethlisberger’s last game in a Steelers uniform, Reid is wise not to take the matchup for granted and could find himself in a compromising position if his defense isn’t able to step up and make plays.
With everything on the line after a season where the Chiefs have proved they’re beatable, Reid and his coaching staff need to put on a master class to avoid a huge upset.
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