The Pittsburgh Steelers won this game because of their defense and because of the right leg of their second-year kicker CHRIS BOSWELL. The Steelers used six field goals by Boswell and a top-notch defensive performance from their defense to send the Kansas City Chiefs out of the playoffs with a 18-16 victory at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Steelers (12-5) didn’t even have to score a touchdown tonight. And who knew that they would win this game without scoring a touchdown against a team that had the likes of a TYREEK HILL and TRAVIS KELCE on offense? It was some kind of a defensive performance that the Steelers put on tonight and that helped send them to the AFC Championship game for the first time since the 2010 season.
As for the Chiefs (12-5), another season is headed for the record books before they even got a sniff of a Super Bowl. Since 1970, the Chiefs have been bereft of a Super Bowl appearance.
Steelers leaders BEN ROETHLISBERGER and running back LE’VEON BELL didn’t even see the end zone tonight, but both of them did enough to help will the Steelers to the last round of the playoffs before Super Bowl LI. Bell carried 30 times for 170 yards. Through those carries, he showed his patented patience in up the middle and east and west sojourns. 
Roethlisberger went 20 of 31 for 224 yards and 1 interception in what was a so-so game for him. He did his job but couldn’t provide any touchdown drives. Boswell was the guy who saved the Roethlisberger’s hide with this field goals. Just imagine if the Steelers would have lost this game? One can only imagine how much shade Pittsburgh fans and media would have thrown Roethlisberger’s and the Steelers’ offense’s way.
The Chiefs on their first offensive drive of the contest, scored their first points of the game when Smith found receiver ALBERT WILSON for a 5-yard touchdown pass near the back, top corner of the end zone. At the 6:09 mark of the first quarter the Chiefs had a 7-3 lead.
CAIRO SANTOS cut into the Steelers’ lead with a successful 38-yard field goal. At the 10-second mark of the third quarter the score went to 15-10.
After hours of zero points, the Chiefs finally got on the board. On fist and goal from the one-yard line, running back SPENCER WARE ran up the middle for a short scoring run. That score and the failed-two conversion one play later, cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 18-16 at the 2:43 mark of the fourth quarter.
