WEEK 8 · FINAL
THE READ
Chiefs beat Steelers, 26-20
Chiefs took care of Steelers, 26-20. Patrick Mahomes was steady for Chiefs — 25/33, 220 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. Drew Allar was steady for Steelers — 22/39, 216 yards, 2 INT — in a losing effort. Trey Benson's high-water mark for the year. On the ground: Steelers 150, Chiefs 92.
The Wire · league beat
THE WIDER PICTURE
| Team | SRS | SOS | MARGIN | TO +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | -3.0 | +2.0 | -5.0 | +4 |
| Chiefs | +2.1 | +1.7 | +0.4 | +10 |
SRS is how many points a side beats an
average team by once you account for who they played — beat a good
team by 3 and it counts for more than beating a bad one by 20.
SOS is how hard that schedule has been.
Full table.
Chiefs —
in the hunt
· 8-6
Playoff picture →
IN THE BOOTH
Devon Walker
Beat reporter
Pittsburgh had more of the football and more yards, but Drew Allar's 2 interceptions against Mahomes' 1 decided it—Kansas City won the turnover battle and that's all that mattered in a 26-20 game.
Zoe Bell
The contrarian
· replying
Pittsburgh dominated the line of scrimmage and ran for 150 yards, yet still lost by 6—a scoreline that tells you everything about why a 2-6 team stays 2-6, and nothing about whether Kansas City has figured anything out at 4-4.
Nicole Santos
Beat reporter
· replying
Mahomes completed 76% of his passes and limited himself to 1 turnover—Pittsburgh's problem wasn't the game plan, it was execution under pressure, and Allar's 2 picks made the difference Walker and the ground game couldn't overcome.
They only ever read the box score and this league's own numbers —
none of them has a source, and none of them can report anything that
did not happen.
Patrick Mahomes
Chiefs
25/33, 220 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Drew Allar
Steelers
22/39, 216 yards, 2 INT
Kenneth Walker
Chiefs
16 carries, 75 yards, 1 TD
THE STORY SO FAR
WHAT DECIDED IT
On the ground
Steelers 150, Chiefs 92
Steelers
Total yards
Steelers 366, Chiefs 312
Steelers
Through the air
Chiefs 220, Steelers 216
Chiefs
Pressure
Chiefs 1 sacks, Steelers 4
Steelers
THE ROOM
Final. The recap is below.
THE MATCHUP SCOUT
every number below is counted from the export or read off the roster — nothing is inferred about playcalling
LEAGUE DATA
counted by Madden, and arithmetic on top of it
Pass-heavy
Pass 62% · Rush 38% · 23.1 scored, 28.1 allowed
7.9 yds/att
56.2% completions
4.4 yds/carry
352.4 yds/game
1.3 giveaways/game
7.6% sack rate
last 5: 2-3
SAPPHIRE METRICS
QB efficiency 54 · Efficient
Balance 88
Ball security 64
Back usage 31%
QB runs 3.4/game
PERSONNEL
off the roster — unit averages, best starters only
QB 89
WR 87
TE 88
RB 86
OL 81
DL 88
LB 81
DB 86
Best: T.J. Watt LEDG 93
Fastest: KaVontae Turpin WR 97 SPD
6 at star dev or better
YOUR NOTEBOOK
what you wrote about them — private, and never a Sapphire statistic
Sign in as a member of this league to keep private scouting notes on your opponents.
LEAGUE DATA
counted by Madden, and arithmetic on top of it
Pass-heavy
Pass 68% · Rush 32% · 30.9 scored, 30.6 allowed
8.6 yds/att
59.9% completions
5.1 yds/carry
409.1 yds/game
1.9 giveaways/game
7.0% sack rate
last 5: 4-1
SAPPHIRE METRICS
QB efficiency 60 · Aggressive
Balance 82
Ball security 46
Back usage 26%
QB runs 3.6/game
Most exposed: ball security -- 1.9 giveaways a game
PERSONNEL
off the roster — unit averages, best starters only
QB 96
WR 90
TE 77
RB 88
OL 85
DL 86
LB 85
DB 84
Best: Kenneth Walker HB 97
Fastest: Xavier Worthy WR 99 SPD
7 at star dev or better
YOUR NOTEBOOK
what you wrote about them — private, and never a Sapphire statistic
Sign in as a member of this league to keep private scouting notes on your opponents.
HOW THEY PLAY
the man, not the franchise — only weeks the record attributes to him, this season
will2nice400
Chiefs · his last 8 games
Throws it
Pass / run62% / 38%
Points for / against30.9 — 24.0
Margin+6.9
Giveaways a game0.9
Sacks taken7.9% of dropbacks
Lead backKenneth Walker · 13.5/g
Top targetXavier Worthy · 27%
QB carries2.9 a game
talabandrell
Steelers · his last 8 games
Balanced
Pass / run57% / 43%
Points for / against21.1 — 25.9
Margin-4.8
Giveaways a game1.2
Sacks taken8.0% of dropbacks
Lead backTrey Benson · 13.1/g
Top targetGermie Bernard · 31%
QB carries3.1 a game
Counted from the weeks each man actually held his team — so a franchise that changed hands is not credited to whoever has it now. Nothing above is a playcall: the export does not carry those, and neither does this.
THE SERIES
talabandrell against will2nice400 — the men, not the teams
will2nice400 leads it 1-0.
will2nice400 won the last one.
1 meeting
avg 20.0 — 26.0
biggest: 6 pts to will2nice400
S2 · week 8
talabandrell 20 — 26 will2nice400
WILL2NICE400
Only meetings Sapphire can attribute to both men are counted — a Madden export never says who owned a team last season, so the series starts where the record does.
MATCHUP ADVANTAGES
unit averages against each other — inside three points is a push
Steelers receivers vs Chiefs secondary
87 v 84
STEELERS
Chiefs receivers vs Steelers secondary
90 v 86
CHIEFS
Steelers line vs Chiefs front
81 v 86
CHIEFS
Chiefs line vs Steelers front
85 v 88
STEELERS
Steelers backs vs Chiefs run defence
86 v 86
EVEN
Chiefs backs vs Steelers run defence
88 v 85
CHIEFS
Steelers passer vs Chiefs secondary
89 v 84
STEELERS
Chiefs passer vs Steelers secondary
96 v 86
CHIEFS
TOP PERFORMERS
🎬
The Game Recapthis game as an episode -- the score, the stars, the numbers that decided it -- and a video you can post ›
BOX SCORE
STEELERS
CHIEFS
STEELERS
CHIEFS
STEELERS
CHIEFS
STEELERS
CHIEFS
STEELERS
CHIEFS
STEELERS
| PLAYER | C/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | SCK | LNG | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Allar QB | 22/39 | 216 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 50.8 |
CHIEFS
| PLAYER | C/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | SCK | LNG | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Mahomes QB | 25/33 | 220 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 26 | 100.5 |
STEELERS
| PLAYER | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | BTK | YAC | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trey Benson HB | 10 | 95 | 9.5 | 0 | 5 | 61 | 29 | 0 |
| Raleek Brown HB | 9 | 48 | 5.3 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 31 | 0 |
| Cam Coleman WR | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Omari Evans WR | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Parker Washington WR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michael Pittman TE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Germie Bernard WR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren HB | 1 | -3 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
CHIEFS
| PLAYER | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | BTK | YAC | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Walker HB | 16 | 75 | 4.7 | 1 | 5 | 55 | 26 | 1 |
| Patrick Mahomes QB | 5 | 14 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Brashard Smith HB | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Emmett Johnson HB | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| T.J. Moore WR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Noah Gray TE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jared Wiley TE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Worthy WR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
STEELERS
| PLAYER | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | YAC | DRP | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Pittman TE | 10 | 71 | 7.1 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 14 |
| Cam Coleman WR | 3 | 35 | 11.7 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 23 |
| Germie Bernard WR | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 22 |
| Omari Evans WR | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 14 |
| Terrance Carter Jr TE | 3 | 26 | 8.7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 |
| Parker Washington WR | 1 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 19 |
| Raleek Brown HB | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
CHIEFS
| PLAYER | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | YAC | DRP | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noah Gray TE | 6 | 47 | 7.8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 25 |
| Jeff Caldwell WR | 2 | 41 | 20.5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 26 |
| Xavier Worthy WR | 4 | 39 | 9.8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 15 |
| Jared Wiley TE | 3 | 37 | 12.3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 19 |
| T.J. Moore WR | 5 | 36 | 7.2 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 19 |
| Rashee Rice WR | 1 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| Jake Briningstool TE | 1 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Kenneth Walker HB | 2 | -1 | -0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Brashard Smith HB | 1 | -2 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
STEELERS
| PLAYER | TKL | SCK | INT | PD | FF | CMP ALW | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joey Porter CB | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Cam Taylor-Britt CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Christian Harris SAM | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Riley Moss SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Robert Spears-Jennings FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Jermaine Mathews Jr CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt LEDG | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Nick Herbig DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Damone Clark MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carrington Valentine CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Bosa REDG | 1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Daylen Everette CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Alex Highsmith REDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
CHIEFS
| PLAYER | TKL | SCK | INT | PD | FF | CMP ALW | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jelani McDonald SS | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Nick Bolton MIKE | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Amare Ferrell FS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Drue Tranquill WILL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| R Mason Thomas LEDG | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ashton Gillotte REDG | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Evan Johnson CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mansoor Delane CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| L'Jarius Sneed CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Omarr Norman-Lott DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeffrey Bassa WILL | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Peter Woods DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nohl Williams CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| George Karlaftis LEDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
STEELERS
| PLAYER | FG | XP | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell K | 4/5 | 0/0 | 45 |
CHIEFS
| PLAYER | FG | XP | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Butker K | 1/1 | 3/3 | 50 |
RECENT FORM
Steelers
W
25–22 vs Broncos
WK 7
L
21–24 vs Jets
WK 6
L
0–35 vs Ravens
WK 5
Chiefs
W
47–21 vs Browns
WK 7
L
43–65 vs Bears
WK 6
L
29–46 vs Bengals
WK 5
TEAM STATS
| Steelers | Chiefs | |
|---|---|---|
| 366 | TOTAL YARDS | 312 |
| 216 | PASSING YARDS | 220 |
| 150 | RUSHING YARDS | 92 |
| 1 | SACKS ALLOWED | 4 |
| 4 | SACKS MADE | 1 |
| 2 | GIVEAWAYS | 3 |
| 3 | TAKEAWAYS | 2 |
Bold is the side that won that line. Giveaways come off a team's own offensive rows and takeaways off its own defensive rows — two separate payloads, so they need not tie out against each other.
ALL-TIME HEAD-TO-HEAD
0
STEELERS
—
1
CHIEFS