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Xtra Points

Steelers fall to Chiefs, 36-10

The Steelers fell into another big hole in a first half on the road and this time there was no climbing out of it in Kansas City.

The Chiefs scored the first four times they got the ball in the first half and on three consecutive possessions in the second half on the way to a 36-10 victory over the Steelers this afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Steelers fell to 7-7-1.

The Chiefs won their eighth-straight game, clinched their sixth consecutive AFC West Division championship and improved to 11-4.

Game action photos from the Steelers' Week 16 game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium

The Steelers had trailed 31-3 at halftime on the way to a 41-10 loss on Nov. 28 at Cincinnati and 23-0 at the break during what became a 36-28 loss on Dec. 9 at Minnesota.

The Chiefs picked up 17 first downs to the Steelers' six while building a 23-0 advantage in the first two quarters. The Chiefs also out-gained the Steelers, 255-109, and held the ball for 20:00 to the Steelers' 10:00 in the first 30 minutes.

The Steelers didn't get on the scoreboard until 3:34 remained in the third quarter.

Kicker Chris Boswell's 34-yard field goal reduced Kansas City's lead to 30-3. Boswell's effort capped a 15-play, 54-yard drive in 5:19.

A 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to wide receiver Diontae Johnson on fourth-and-4 from the Chiefs' 15-yard line and Boswell's extra point accounted for the final margin.

The touchdown drive covered 85 yards on 17 plays in 6:47.

The Chiefs had increased their 23-0 halftime lead on quarterback Patrick Mahomes' third touchdown pass of the day. Mahomes hit wide receiver Byron Pringle for a 16-yard, catch-and-run touchdown with 8:53 left in the third. Kicker Elliott Fry's extra point made it 30-0.

The seven-play, 51-yard drive in 3:51 commenced at the Kansas City 49 after safety Tyrann Mathieu recovered a Johnson fumble that occurred after a catch and a gain of 2.

Fry's 34-yard field goal with 12:40 left in the fourth quarter re-established a 30-point lead for the Chiefs at 33-3.

His third field goal of the day, this one from 30 yards away, gave Kansas City a 36-3 lead with 10:30 left in the fourth.

Kansas City had taken over at the Steelers' 7 after a strip-sack of Roethlisberger by defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton and a fumble recovery and 10-yard return by defensive tackle Jarran Reed.

The start was a harbinger of what was ahead.

The Chiefs had two touchdowns before the Steelers registered two first downs.

Kansas City's first score came on a 1-yard run by running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire that capped a 14-play, 78-yard drive in 8:10 on the home team's first possession. The Chiefs converted a third-and-7 and a fourth-and-1 on the march, which didn't include a play longer than 13 yards. Fry's extra point gave the Chiefs a 7-0 lead with 4:07 left in the first quarter.

The Chiefs got the ball back on the Steelers' next offensive snap when Roethlisberger was intercepted by cornerback Charvarius Ward at the Steelers' 49.

Kansas City needed six plays and 2:54 to score another touchdown. The drive ended on a 5-yard pass from Mahomes to Pringle. Fry's extra point gave Kansas City a 14-0 lead with 1:05 left in the first.

A 44-yard field goal by Fry upped the Chiefs' lead to 17-0 with 8:45 left in the second quarter.

Kansas City drove 54 yards on 10 plays in 5:01.

The lead grew to 23-0 on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to wide receiver Mecole Hardman with 2:13 left in the first half (the extra point was missed).

The Steelers had driven from their 25 to the Chiefs' 18 on the previous possession, but Boswell missed a 36-yard field goal attempt. Punter Corliss Waitman filled in at holder for punter Pressley Harvin III, who missed the game for personal reasons. It snapped a streak of 43 consecutive field goals converted from inside 40 yards for Boswell.

Fry missed a 39-yard field goal attempt with 18 seconds left before the break.

The Steelers had turned the ball over on downs when a toss to running back Najee Harris lost 3 yards on fourth-and-1 from the Steelers' 34.

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