The Chiefs CAN pass to their wide receivers
This is the biggest takeaway from the game. Arrowhead Pride, sports radio and even the local paper commented over the last couple weeks about the Chiefs struggles to get the receivers the ball. Alex Smith hadn't completed a pass to Dwayne Bowe or Jon Baldwin in two games. Heck, Bowe had only been targeted one time. Looking back at Alex Smith's numbers with receiver Michael Crabtree in San Francisco, I figured this was the start of the Chiefs "big problem" which is they can't throw to receivers.
Aaaand then Alex Smith came out and immediately targeted Donnie Avery in the passing game on Saturday night. And then he did it again. And again. It wasn't until Alex Smith's SEVENTH pass that he targeted someone besides a receiver. How about that?
Avery ended up with six catches. So did Bowe.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The defense can be vulnerable
Not saying they aren't going to be very good -- I think they will be. But we finally saw an offense put some pressure on the Chiefs defense. Ben Roethlisberger looked sharp against the Chiefs, completing multiple passes down the field to open receivers. Big Ben ended the day an efficient 13-of-19 for 166 yards.
Remember last week when the Chiefs had a little trouble with the 49ers quarterbacks running the ball? Similar thing this week with Big Ben, but it wasn't him running it as much as it was he was keeping the play alive by staying mobile in the pocket. Mobile quarterbacks can be an issue for a lot of teams but they've had a little bit of early success against the Chiefs. Considering quarterbacks are supposed to throw and not run I'm not incredibly concerned about this right now.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The return game remains special
You know the return game is special when a blocked kick isn't even close to the special teams highlight from the game.
Knile Davis took a kickoff return 109 yards for the score, the second consecutive week a Chiefs player has taken a kick back for a touchdown. This is getting slightly crazy. I mean ... preseason stats are telling us the Chiefs are going to have a damn good year returning the ball. Like really, really good.
So far this preseason, that's two 50+ yard returns, one 79-yard return, and two 100+ yard returns. You know what's really awesome about that? Those five huge returns come from four different players. It's not like the Chiefs have a Devin Hester making all this noise. Everyone is involved.
Two things before we crown their ass: 1.) Most returns will not be taken out of the end zone at nine yards back. 2.) The opposing special teams coverage units will improve after roster cuts.
Update: 4 things!
And overtime should be banished in the preseason RT @arrowheadpride: 3 things we learned from Chiefs-Steelers http://t.co/K50swrXIgK
— Josh Kirkendall (@CincyJungle) August 26, 2013