The Kansas City Chiefs were always supposed to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. The spread for this showdown of old guard AFC powerhouses was the largest of Super Wild Card weekend at 12.5 points at kickoff.
Despite the Steelers taking a 7-0 lead, 12.5 points proved to be wildly optimistic.
Pittsburgh couldn’t stop Kansas City after the first quarter and Andy Reid was happy to pile on the points in what’s likely to be Ben Roethlisberger’s final game. He found the end zone through conventional methods by throwing darts to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. He found the end zone through unconventional methods by having Kelce throw a touchdown pass to Byron Pringle. He emptied the playbook and got reserve lineman Nick Allegretti a touchdown catch:
Nick Allegretti ragdolled TJ Watt and then scored a touchdown. what a time to be alive pic.twitter.com/dLNKXavdCs
— Christian D'Andrea, 2021 PAC champion (@TrainIsland) January 17, 2022
The Steelers simply couldn’t keep up. And, as it turns out, neither could Arrowhead Stadium. The facility ran out of the fireworks it shoots off to celebrate points sometime after the team’s sixth touchdown.
😎 pic.twitter.com/svNftZyd0b
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisKC) January 17, 2022
It’s kinda surprising for a stadium that’s been the backdrop of Patrick Mahomes’ rise from backup quarterback to perennial MVP candidate. The Chiefs have scored 40+ points 12 times since 2018, including three times this season. They were facing a defense that gave up 36 points the last time these two teams met. Pittsburgh has given up at least 42 points in each of its last three playoff games. The chance Kansas City was going to score at least six touchdowns was always very real.
But fireworks are expensive, and flexing on an opponent by running out of gunpowder because you scored too many times is free. The disclaimer that ran in the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday night was more disrespectful than a handful of flares could ever be. The question now is whether or not the Chiefs can create another pyrotechnic drought when they host the Buffalo Bills and their top-ranked defense in the Divisional Round next week.