Santa Reid didn't just bring coal to the Steel City; he brought a full-blown defensive masterclass and a Santa suit to match. If you spent your Christmas afternoon watching the NFL Dec 25. 2024 Steelers vs Chiefs game on Netflix, you saw a team in the Kansas City Chiefs that finally looked like the terrifying juggernaut everyone expected them to be all year. The final score was 29-10. It sounds like a blowout, and honestly, in many ways, it was. But if you look closer at how those 60 minutes at Acrisure Stadium actually went down, it was a weird, grinding affair that effectively shifted the entire power structure of the AFC.
Kansas City officially locked up the No. 1 seed with this win.
That means the road to the Super Bowl goes through Arrowhead. Again. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 29-10 loss was their third straight defeat, a late-season slide that turned a promising AFC North lead into a desperate scramble for playoff positioning. Mike Tomlin didn't mince words after the game, calling the performance "junior varsity." He wasn't wrong. While Russell Wilson found some rhythm with his legs, the Steelers' offense mostly sputtered when it mattered most, failing to capitalize on the few windows of opportunity Patrick Mahomes actually gave them.
What Really Happened with NFL Dec 25. 2024 Steelers vs Chiefs
The game started with a flurry that caught Pittsburgh flat-footed. Mahomes came out dealin'. He finished the day with 320 passing yards and three touchdowns, looking completely recovered from that nagging ankle tweak he picked up against Cleveland a few weeks prior. The Chiefs' first two drives were basically a "how-to" guide on modern offensive efficiency. Xavier Worthy hauled in a 7-yard score to open the floodgates, followed quickly by an 11-yard strike to Justin Watson.
Before the first quarter was even over, it was 13-0.
Pittsburgh fans were understandably restless. The atmosphere in the stadium was tense, especially since this was a rare Wednesday game—the NFL’s big Christmas experiment. People were still finishing their ham dinners when they realized the Steelers were in a deep hole. But here’s the thing: Pittsburgh actually fought back. For a second, it felt like we had a classic Steelers comeback brewing. Russell Wilson used his veteran savvy to punch in a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter, cutting the lead to 13-7 at the half.
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The Turning Point Nobody Talks About
Everyone remembers the final score, but the game turned on a single sequence late in the first half that felt like a gut punch to the black and gold. Jaylen Warren appeared to have scored a go-ahead touchdown on a gritty run, but it was wiped off the board by a holding penalty on Broderick Jones.
Talk about a momentum killer.
On the very next play, Justin Reid picked off Russell Wilson in the end zone. Instead of a 14-13 lead or at least a chip-shot field goal, the Steelers walked away with zero points. That’s the margin for error when you’re playing the defending champs. You can’t make those mistakes. You just can’t.
By the time the third quarter rolled around, Chris Boswell—who had a monster year, by the way—hit a 36-yard field goal to make it 16-10. It was a one-score game! The Chiefs looked human. Their star defensive tackle Chris Jones was out with a calf injury, and the Steelers' running game, led by Najee Harris (74 yards) and Warren, was starting to lean on the KC front. But the Chiefs’ depth is just different.
Patrick Mahomes and the Travis Kelce Record
The fourth quarter was all Kansas City. Kareem Hunt, who has been such a vital "old-school" addition to this roster, punched in a 2-yard touchdown to start the final frame. But the real highlight—the one that will be on every highlight reel for the next decade—was the 12-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce.
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With that catch, Kelce officially passed Tony Gonzalez for the most touchdown receptions in Chiefs franchise history.
It was a perfectly drawn-up play. Mahomes scrambled right, drew the defense, and flipped it to a wide-open Kelce in the back of the end zone. Kelce celebrated with a dunk over the goalpost, a clear tribute to Gonzalez. He got flagged for it, but honestly? Nobody cared. Not even Andy Reid. It was the "knockout punch" the Chiefs needed to secure their 15th win of the season.
- Passing: Mahomes (29/38, 320 Yds, 3 TD) vs. Wilson (23/37, 205 Yds, 1 Rushing TD, 1 INT).
- The Sack Attack: The Chiefs' defense, even without Chris Jones, sacked Russell Wilson five times.
- Turnovers: Pittsburgh had two (an INT and a Pat Freiermuth fumble), while the Chiefs had zero.
The Freiermuth fumble was particularly brutal. It happened right after the Hunt touchdown, essentially giving the ball back to Mahomes on a silver platter. Trent McDuffie, who is playing like an All-Pro, punched the ball out, and Nick Bolton was there to scoop it up. That’s how the Chiefs win—they don't just beat you; they wait for you to beat yourself, and then they pounce.
What the Steelers Get Wrong About Their Offense
There is a growing narrative that the Steelers' offense is too "safe." On Christmas, we saw why. Russell Wilson is still a capable starter, but against a secondary like Kansas City’s, you have to be able to take successful deep shots. George Pickens was visibly frustrated on the sidelines, at one point screaming after an offside penalty on a 4th-and-15 play.
The connection just wasn't there.
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When you're playing the NFL Dec 25. 2024 Steelers vs Chiefs matchup, you have to realize that keeping it close isn't enough. The Steelers won the time of possession in the first half (over 17 minutes!), but they didn't have the points to show for it. It's the same old story for Pittsburgh: great defense, decent run game, but a passing attack that lacks the "explosive" gear needed to keep up with the Mahomes of the world.
Actionable Insights for the Post-Season
If you're a bettor or a hardcore fan looking at what this means for the playoffs, here are the real takeaways:
- Trust the Chiefs’ Depth: Winning three games in 11 days is a brutal NFL schedule. The Chiefs did it and looked fresher than a team that had more rest. Their conditioning is elite.
- Steelers' North Hopes are Fading: With this loss, the Ravens took the lead in the AFC North. Pittsburgh's road to a home playoff game is now incredibly narrow.
- Watch the Injuries: Cam Heyward went down late in the game with a right leg injury. If he’s out for an extended period, the Steelers' defensive identity takes a massive hit.
- The Netflix Factor: The streaming quality was a big talk of the day, but the real story was the NFL's willingness to dominate a Wednesday. Expect more of this.
The Chiefs are now the heavy favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. They have the bye, they have the home field, and they have a healthy Patrick Mahomes. The Steelers, meanwhile, need to figure out how to stop the bleeding before they find themselves as a one-and-done Wild Card team on the road.
To truly understand the impact of this game, keep an eye on the injury reports for Cam Heyward and the status of the AFC North standings over the final week. The Steelers' season depends on a quick turnaround, while the Chiefs can afford to rest their stars and prepare for the Divisional Round.