Key takeaways from first half of Chiefs vs. Steelers wild-card game
The Kansas City Chiefs only seem to play in the strangest of games and this has been no exception so far. The first six possessions in this game resulted in a punt. At one point it looked like neither team would score. However, even with some great play from the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, the Chiefs lead 21-7 at the half. They’ll get the ball to start the second half, where they can really put the dagger in.
Here are our biggest takeaways from the first half of the Chiefs’ wild-card game against the Steelers:
Offense must stop wasting opportunities
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Too many times this season, the Chiefs’ offense has stalled out due to drops, penalties and turnovers. That was the story early on in this game for Kansas City. The defense forced four punts in the first quarter. A great return on special teams even set the offense up at the 22-yard line. No points came from those opportunities.
The offensive play-calling, especially on second down, was questionable early on in the game. The lack of run-pass balance, against a team with one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, seemed like a massive oversight. Of course, things started to open up for the offense in the second quarter when they got Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Jerick McKinnon more involved.
Defense and special teams have held up their end of the bargain so far. The offense is on its way to holding up their end too. If they were playing any other team besides the Steelers, this start would likely have the offense in hot water.
Punt-fest not making Tommy Townsend look great
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The Chiefs punted the ball three times in the first half, which felt like the most punts in the first half for this team in quite a while. Tommy Townsend had a few opportunities to pin the Steelers deep, and while each time his punts landed within the 20-yard line, it felt like he could have pinned them inside the 10 or the five. He’s averaging just over 35 yards per punt.
Townsend has been a solid punter for the Chiefs during the regular season, but he’s struggled at times during postseason play. His Super Bowl LV performance was forgettable. This performance is up there with his worst so far.
Defense putting on a clinic
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The Chiefs’ defense has been phenomenal in this game so far. They forced six punts in the first half of play and are truly making tonight look like Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement party. They’ve been getting pressure, stopping the run and breaking up passes with relative ease. They’ve held the Steelers to just 44 yards of total offense.
A few defensive players who stood out to me in the first half:
Melvin Ingram is playing with some extra juice against his former team, with a number of great rushes.
Charvarius Ward has flashed often, as he’s been shadowing Chase Claypool. He only allowed a single target, which he broke up on the play.
Tershawn Wharton didn’t get a lot of snaps, rotating in at the defensive tackle spot. When he’s been in the game, he’s flashed. He has the only sack on Ben Roethlisberger so far, along with a tackle for loss.
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