WATCH: Chiefs OG Nick Allegretti scores big man touchdown vs. Steelers

Third-year guard Nick Allegretti scored a big man touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the red zone to give the Kansas City Chiefs a 28-7 lead in the third quarter.

Nobody expected the lineman to spring free after reporting eligible on the one-yard line. Check out the short-yardage trickery up top, and notice how little attention the defense paid to Allegretti when he scampered in for the easy score. This was Allegretti’s first NFL touchdown and his first time playing a big role in a game since he filled in at left guard against the Bengals. He has proven to be a capable blocker who plays with the same grit he showed on film at the University of Illinois, but now he showed off his mitts as well. There was also the takedown of T.J. Watt to make it happen too.

The touchdown set up the Chiefs to take an even more commanding 35-7 lead after forcing a turnover on the ensuing Steelers drive, which has them fully in control of the game in the middle of the third quarter. Pittsburgh would strike back with a touchdown of their own, though, and by the end of the third quarter cut the lead down to 21 heading into the fourth.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes had some struggles in the first half but got off to a hot start in the second with back-t0-back touchdown passes. It would take a monumental effort by Pittsburgh to turn the tide at this point, but Kansas City has plenty of work to do to prove they’re a team to beat in the AFC.

If the third quarter has been any indication, the Chiefs are in rhythm heading into a Divisional round matchup against Buffalo in a battle of two of the league’s top offenses. The Mahomes-Josh Allen rivalry looks to have another iconic meeting brewing with both teams on the top of their game and relatively healthy in the last few weeks of January.

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Key takeaways from first half of Chiefs vs. Steelers wild-card game