Steelers v Chiefs Tips: NFL Christmas Day Picks & Betting Offers
Week 17 of the 2024 NFL season delivers a highly anticipated AFC showdown on Christmas Day. The 14-1 Kansas City Chiefs travel to Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh to take on the 10-5 Pittsburgh Steelers, and we’ve crafted our Steelers v Chiefs tips in the form of a bet builder.
This matchup carries significant implications for both teams. The Chiefs require one more victory to secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC and guarantee home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Steelers are in a tight race with the 10-5 Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North Division title.
Leading UK betting sites have the Chiefs as 2.5-point road favourites, with the total set at 43.5 points. Kansas City looks to extend its winning streak to six games, while Pittsburgh aims to snap a two-game losing streak.
Steelers v Chiefs Tips: 4/1 Bet Builder for NFL Christmas Day
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Russell Wilson Over 29.5 Passing Attempts
The Steelers are likely to find it difficult to establish their running game against the Chiefs, who rank third in the NFL for rushing yards allowed per game (91.4) and fourth in yards allowed per carry (4.0). Last Saturday, Kansas City secured a 27-19 win over the Houston Texans, conceding just 84 rushing yards on 17 carries.
Pittsburgh enters this matchup following a 34-17 road loss to the Ravens, where they managed 117 yards on 24 rushing attempts. Russell Wilson completed 22 of his 33 passes for 217 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. George Pickens (hamstring) missed his third consecutive game, but the Steelers’ star wide receiver should return for the Christmas Day clash.
Pickens’ return is critical for the Steelers, as they will need Wilson to deliver through the air to keep up with the Chiefs. Without Pickens, Pittsburgh’s passing offense has struggled significantly. Wilson has attempted at least 30 passes in three of the Steelers’ last six games.
The nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback has been reliable this season, amassing 2,129 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and just four interceptions in nine appearances. Kansas City’s defense allows 215.8 passing yards per game (17th) on 33.5 passing attempts (21st).
Travis Kelce Anytime Touchdown Scorer
The Steelers’ defence collapsed last Saturday as the Ravens amassed 220 rushing yards, and Lamar Jackson threw three touchdown passes, including one to tight end Mark Andrews. Pittsburgh now concedes 19.9 points per game (tied 6th), 102.7 rushing yards (7th), and 220.7 passing yards (20th).
The Steelers are expected to show improvement when the Chiefs visit. Kansas City’s ground game is not as dominant as Baltimore’s formidable rushing attack. The Chiefs are likely to target vulnerabilities in Pittsburgh’s secondary, presenting an ideal opportunity for Travis Kelce to end his touchdown drought since Week 9.
Kelce leads Kansas City in targets (122), receptions (89), receiving yards (739), and first-down catches (43). Despite this, the four-time All-Pro tight end has only scored two touchdowns in 15 games this season.
Last week, Kelce caught five of his seven targets for a mere 30 yards. Kansas City scored twice on the ground, while Patrick Mahomes’ sole touchdown pass went to wide receiver Xavier Worthy. Kelce has recorded at least five receptions in four of his last five outings but hasn’t been heavily involved in red-zone opportunities.
The Chiefs boast the league’s best third-down conversion rate (51.0%) but sit 26th in red-zone efficiency (51.7%). Mahomes must rely on Kelce more in this encounter. The Steelers have given up 32 offensive touchdowns this season, with 19 through the air. Notably, six of those have been caught by tight ends, the seventh-highest figure in the NFL.
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