Steelers Are Chiefs’ Problem

KANSAS CITY —  It was a throwback game featuring Jerome Bettis and Marcus Allen, players from a long-ago time when they had professional football in Los Angeles, but was that any reason for the Chiefs and Steelers to perform in prime time like the Rams and Raiders?

For every brilliant dash from Allen on Monday night, there was a dropped pass, an unimaginative offensive play or a penalty. For every determined bull rush from Bettis, there was poor play on third down, a blocked field goal or interception.

Allen, the player who symbolizes all that has gone wrong with Raider owner Al Davis, scored from six yards out in the second quarter for the Chiefs only score. Bettis, one more example why the Rams can’t get it right, scored from five yards out in the third quarter and provided Pittsburgh with its only touchdown, and a 17-7 victory before 79,189, the seventh-largest crowd in Arrowhead Stadium history.

Now wake up the folks and tell them they can go home. The Chiefs’ 11-game winning streak here is over and the Steelers, playing with their third quarterback and without their best defensive player, have now, somehow, won four games in a row.

“Fortunately we overcame some of our mistakes to win,” said Steeler Coach Bill Cowher. “It was kind of a fun challenge we had, but these guys answered the ball every time.”

Well, not exactly every time. Bettis ran for more than 100 yards for the fourth-consecutive time with 103 in 27 rushes, and now has fumbled in four consecutive games. In this game he fumbled twice--the first time he has done that in his pro career.

“It didn’t always look pretty,” Bettis said, “but we got the job done.”

Bettis’ yardage, combined with that of wide receiver Charles Johnson (six catches for 125 yards) was the first time a pair of Steelers topped the 100-yard mark since 1992 when running back Barry Foster and wide receiver Jeff Graham accomplished the feat. Throw in quarterback Mike Tomczak’s 20-for-38 performance for 338 yards, and now you know how many mistakes they had to make to score only one touchdown.

The Chiefs’ breakdown was even more complete: The last time the Chiefs allowed a 100-yard rusher, a 100-yard receiver and a 300-yard passing performance was in 1965 against the John Hadl-led Chargers.

“They made the plays and we failed to make them,” was Coach Marty Schottenheimer’s astute assessment of his team’s defeat. “I told our players tonight is not the destination. We’re on a journey. We’ve got to play 16 regular-season games to see who goes and lines up in the playoffs.”

That must have been some pre-game pep talk.

Billed as the AFC championship game that was supposed to be played a year ago before the Colts crashed the party, the Steelers didn’t have Super Bowl performers like Neil O’Donnell, Kevin Greene, Bam Morris, Leon Searcy and Greg Lloyd, but they were still good enough to trounce the Chiefs.

The Chiefs (4-2), who tumbled a week ago in San Diego, trudged off the field after losing to the Steelers and they were yelling at each other. Allen, who passed Jim Brown to move into second place behind Walter Payton (110) with his 107th rushing touchdown, looked as if he had been told he was being traded back to the Raiders.

“It’s a tough loss,” said Joe Phillips, Chiefs’ defensive lineman. “You come in, you’re on Monday night TV and we want to get back on track and then we drop this game. It crushes you, but it doesn’t help matters [everyone yelling at each other].”

The Chiefs once again received a forgettable performance from quarterback Steve Bono, who inspired boos after completing 18 of 29 passes for 170 yards with a pair of interceptions.

The Kansas City running attack--which led the NFL a year ago, thereby taking the heat off Bono--punched out 130 yards in 31 rushes with Allen leading the way with 69 of those yards, but it was all much ado about nothing. The Chiefs reached Pittsburgh territory only once in the second half and that was on their final drive with the game already decided.

“There were a lot of doubters out there,” said Pittsburgh linebacker Levon Kirkland, “but we came in and made Arrowhead our home.”

And credit the Chiefs with making Tomczak look like some reincarnation of Terry Bradshaw. Tomczak pulled the Chiefs out of trouble on third down eight of 14 times, and while the Chiefs were without starting cornerback James Hasty (forearm), it was their lack of pass rush that afforded Tomczak the time to look good.