Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs 2017: Prediction, Betting Odds For NFL Divisional Playoffs

Viewed as the most competitive matchup of this weekend’s NFL divisional round, the Pittsburgh Steelers (12-5) and Kansas City Chiefs (12-4) meet for just the second time in their rich histories Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium for a spot in the AFC Championship game.

The two sides met just one other time, a wild card overtime thriller in the 1993 playoffs that Kansas City won 27-24. Otherwise, the two storied franchises have never lined up in the postseason.

Largely due to owning home-field advantage, the Chiefs are favored to keep their perfect playoff mark against the Steelers. Kansas City currently sits as a slim 1-point favorite over the Steelers, according to online sportsbook Bovada.lv.

Still, Pittsburgh enters the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the league, claiming seven straight victories to close the regular season and win the AFC North.

The Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger are coming off a stellar 30-19 romp of Miami in the wild-card round. Roethlisberger opened the game with 50-yard and 62-yard touchdown passes to All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown to open up a 14-point first quarter lead and never face a serious threat from the Dolphins.

Running back Le’Veon Bell helped kill the game clock with 167 rushing yards and two more scores to help Pittsburgh advance beyond the wild-card round for the second straight season.

Pittsburgh’s explosive offense, which finished 11th in the NFL with 24.8 points per game, actually exceeded its season averages in Week 4’s 43-14 dismantling of Kansas City. But the Steelers won’t be playing the same Chiefs.

Kansas City claimed five of its last six games to outlast AFC West rival Oakland for its first division crown since 2010, the No. 2 seed and a bye week by averaging 30 points in each of its victories, and its defense has held the last four opponents to only 16.8 points. That helped the Chiefs’ defense rise to No. 7 in the league with 19.4 points allowed this season.

Much of the Chiefs’ recent run belongs to both the defense and the play of quarterback Alex Smith. Previously labeled as a mere “game manager,” Smith completed 67.1 percent of his passes – his highest mark in four seasons – and has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all but four of Kansas City’s games.

And tight end Travis Kelce, who set new career-highs with 85 receptions for 1,125 yards and four touchdowns, also became one of the most unstoppable forces in the league.

But the matchup will likely be decided by the defenses. Pittsburgh finished 12th in total defense overall but proved especially adept at rushing the passer, ranking ninth with 38 total sacks thanks to veteran rushers like James Harrison and youngsters Stephon Tuitt and Bud Dupree.

The Chiefs pass rush fell to No. 28 in the league this season due to linebacker Justin Houston’s missing 11 games, but Houston is reportedly expected to return this week along with top running back Spencer Ware.

Prediction: Pittsburgh over Kansas City, 27-20