Christmas Day will include what should be a compelling game between two playoff-bound teams. It’s the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Kansas City Chiefs in a possible playoff preview. 

Winners of five straight games, the Chiefs are coming off a 27-19 win over the Texans that saw Patrick Mahomes run and throw for touchdowns. The Steelers are looking to snap their two-game losing streak that includes this past Sunday’s decisive loss in Baltimore. 

The Chiefs continue to receive inspired play from Mahomes, who currently leads the NFL in both completions and pass attempts. He’s been complemented by a defense that is fourth in the NFL in points allowed. The Steelers also possess a top-10 scoring defense as well as a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Russell Wilson, who has thrown 15 touchdowns against just four interceptions this season. 

Here’s how you can follow the action in real time, along with a full breakdown and prediction. 

Steelers vs. Chiefs where to watch 

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 25 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh)
TV: None | Live stream: Netflix 
Follow: CBS Sports App 
Odds: Chiefs -3, OU 43.5 (via SportsLine consensus)

When the Chiefs have the ball 

Don’t listen to the naysayers who say that the Chiefs’ offense has lost a step. If anything, you could argue the Chiefs’ offense as currently constructed is the most versatile one of the Mahomes era. 

The Chiefs’ offense has an array of playmakers that include a trio of future Hall of Famers in Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and wideout DeAndre Hopkins. Kansas City’s supporting cast includes speedsters Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown, tight end Noah Gray (who is tied with Worthy for the team lead in touchdown catches) and running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. The Chiefs’ offense also includes one of the best offensive lines in the business, led by center Creed Humphrey, guard Joe Thuney and tackle Jawaan Taylor. 

The Chiefs are not getting as many big plays as they are used to (which will likely change with Brown’s return form injury), but they make up for that by being a balanced offense that is better than anyone else in the NFL on third down. Kansas City has struggled in the red zone, though, which is why it is not better than 11th in the league in scoring. 

Kansas City’s offense will face a defense that was recently called out by Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin in regard to the unit’s tackling issues during last week’s loss in Baltimore. Tomlin clearly isn’t using the absence of four starters on that side of the ball as an excuse. 

That’s admirable of Tomlin, but the absences of three starters in the secondary (especially safety DeShon Elliott), along with defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, loomed large in Pittsburgh’s 34-17 loss. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, Tomlin said each player will have a real chance at facing the Chiefs. 

Pittsburgh’s defense gives up a considerable amount of passing yards, but it makes up for that with interceptions. The Steelers are also stingy when it comes to touchdown passes allowed (they’re ninth in the NFL in that department with 19 allowed so far). A whopping 10 Steelers have picked off a pass this year, led by Donte Jackson’s five picks. 

Derrick Henry embarrassed the Steelers’ front seven on Saturday, rumbling for 162 yards on 24 carries. Rest assured that Patrick Queen and the rest of Pittsburgh’s run-stuffers are eager to make amends for that performance on Christmas Day. That shouldn’t be too much of an issue, as Kansas City is just 27th the NFL in average yards-per-carry. The key will be stopping Hunt and Pacheco (who hasn’t played up to his usual level since returning from injury) on short-yardage situations. 

Pittsburgh edge rushers will also have to get home while making Mahomes uncomfortable in the pocket. Again, this shouldn’t be an issue, as the Steelers have arguably the best pass rusher in the business in T.J. Watt, who is complemented by Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig and Preston Smith. When they get home, it’ll be up to the Steelers’ secondary to continue to cover the receivers as Mahomes has made a career out of making big plays after being under duress. 

Expect the Chiefs to attack the Steelers’ defense early with speed, with means specific plays for Worthy and Brown. Normally, one could expect the Chiefs to move into ball control mode if they are able to get an early lead. But with the No. 1 seed in their grasp, look for the Chiefs to keep their foot on the pedal. This could work, or it could backfire if the Steelers are able to secure a game-changing play on defense. 

When the Steelers have the ball 

Pittsburgh’s offense is like a kid trying to learn how to ride a bike. As soon as you think the training wheels are ready to come off, they stumble and hit the ground, forcing you to reconsider. 

Led by first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the Steelers’ offense has made major strides this year. The offense was actually top-10 in the NFL in scoring as recently as two weeks ago. Justin Fields went 4-2 as the team’s starter, and Wilson won six of his first seven starts after replacing Fields in Week 7. The offensive line, which includes two rookie staters, has played better than any Pittsburgh line has this decade. The line paved the way for Najee Harris to run for more than 100 yards in three straight games at the season’s midway point. 

The offense hit a speed bump the last two weeks, though. Pittsburgh gained a season-low 163 yards in its Week 15 loss in Philadelphia. The Steelers gained a respectable 315 yards in Baltimore in Week 16, but two turnovers that resulted in 14 Ravens points overshadowed any of the good things the offense did. 

The lack of depth at receiver has reared its ugly head during the two-game losing streak. With George Pickens out, the Steelers haven’t gotten enough from Van Jefferson and Mike Williams. Calvin Austin III has proven to be a solid player and playmaker, but he can’t do it by himself. Tight end Pat Freiermuth is certainly capable of helping, but he was oddly an afterthought in Baltimore with just three targets. 

Perhaps the most puzzling part of the Steelers’ offense as of late has been Harris’ disappearing act. He had just 14 yards on six carries in Philadelphia (a performance that included a costly fumble) and only nine carries for 42 yards in Baltimore. One theory is that Tomlin cut back Harris’ workload during this part of the schedule in order to keep him healthy. Don’t expect that to be the case on Wednesday, however. 

You can also expect Wilson to take far better care of the ball after those two turnovers in Baltimore. Wilson will have to, as the Steelers can’t waste any scoring opportunities against the Chiefs’ fourth-ranked scoring defense, led by defensive tackle Chris Jones, linebacker Nick Bolton, pass rusher George Karlaftis III and defensive back Trent McDuffie. The Chiefs’ defense has been a turnover machine lately. It has forced eight turnovers over its past two games that included six in its Week 15 win over the Browns. 

Like the Steelers, the Chiefs give up yards through the air, but they are stellar against the run. Kansas City’s interior is also adept at getting to the quarterback, which will present a challenge for Steelers rookie linemen Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick. How the Steelers’ young interior linemen fare against Jones and Tershawn Wharton will be something to watch all day. 

If the Chiefs’ defense has a weakness, it’s on third down, as the unit is currently 20th in the NFL in that department. The Steelers will need to take advantage of this if they are going to pull off the upset. 

Prediction 

The Chiefs have the defense and the depth on offense to hand the Steelers a third straight loss. But we’re going with the Steelers in a close game. The possible return of Pickens is one reason why we’re going with Pittsburgh. If Pickens plays, he should help open up the Steelers’ offense, which should lead to more contributions from the rest of the team’s skill players. 

Defensively, the Steelers should also be closer to full strength with the possible return of starters Elliott, Jackson and Ogunjobi. Pittsburgh’s defense wants to show that it is an elite unit. It can do that on Christmas Day against Mahomes and the rest of the two-time defending champions. 

Score: Steelers 27, Chiefs 24