Our week-by-week season preview continues with the Kansas City Chiefs Week 6 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This will be a rematch of the Chiefs playoff loss to the Steelers last January so there will be some added motivation here, especially from Alex Smith who had one of his worst games of the season against the Steelers.
I don’t like how the Steelers match up against the Chiefs. Unless the Chiefs improve quite a bit against the run I’m not that confident they can stop Le’Veon Bell and unless Ben Roethlisberger or Antonio Brown are hurt, I’m not confident about stopping them either. Yes, the Chiefs held them to field goals in the playoffs but that feels more flukey.
I’m not sure. I just don’t feel great about this matchup.
Thanks to SB Nation’s Steelers blog, Behind The Steel Curtain, for writing the Steelers preview below:
Poll
Can the Chiefs beat the Steelers in this rematch?
Notable free agent additions: CB Coty Sensabaugh, DL Tyson Alualu, RB/KR Knile Davis, WR Justin Hunter
The Steelers followed their usual guide to success by not being major players in free agency, but the moves they made filled needed depth positions in the lineup. Steelers fans are constantly disappointed with their lack of movement in free agency, but the organization has never strayed from their plan of building from within, and it clearly works.
Notable free agent departures: LB Lawrence Timmons, WR Markus Wheaton, OLB Jarvis Jones
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Of these players, the biggest hit to the team was the loss of Timmons. Wheaton had shown flashes of talent, but struggled to stay on the field, and Jarvis Jones might be one of the worst first round picks in the Kevin Colbert era as GM. Timmons, on the other hand, was the iron man on the inside of the defense, and will be missed for a lot of reasons. However, the Steelers simply couldn’t match the money Timmons was offered in Miami.
Trades: None
Draft picks expected to contribute as rookies: T.J. Watt, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Cameron Sutton, James Conner
Like in 2016, the Steelers will hope they get contributions from their rookies, but hopefully not the same amount of contributions. Last year it was Artie Burns, Javon Hargrave and Sean Davis who all turned into starters by season’s end, but this year it seems the rookies will be more role players than every down starters, barring injury.
Biggest offseason addition:
The return of WR Matravis Bryant off suspension. After missing all of 2016, and the Steelers never filling the No. 2 WR position, Bryant will be a welcome, and huge, piece to the Steelers’ offensive puzzle.
Biggest storyline heading into training camp:
Le’Veon Bell’s contract situation. He enters the season under the franchise tag.
Under-the-radar storyline heading into training camp:
The WR and CB training camp battles. Both positions are chalk full of talent, and the two positions will eventually have to make some tough decisions.
Notable injuries heading into training camp:
Le’Veon Bell’s groin, Cameron Heyward coming off a torn pectoral