Kansas City (14-1) at Pittsburgh (10-5) Wednesday, 1 p.m., EST, Netflix. BetMGM NFL Odds: Chiefs by 2 1/2. Against the spread: Chiefs 7-8; Steelers 10-5 Series record: Steelers lead 25-14. Last meeting: Chiefs beat Steelers 42-21 in the first round of the playoffs on Jan. 16, 2022, in Kansas City. Last week: Chiefs beat Texans 27-19; Steelers lost to Ravens 34-17 Chiefs offense: overall (13), rush (15), pass (12), scoring (11). Chiefs defense: overall (3), rush (3), pass (17), scoring (3). Steelers offense: overall (19), rush (11), pass (25), scoring (12). Steelers defense: overall (11), rush (8), pass (20), scoring (7). Turnover differential: Chiefs plus-4; Steelers plus-16. Chiefs player to watch WR Marquise Brown, who hurt his shoulder on the first play of the preseason and landed on injured reserve, made an impressive regular-season debut against Houston last week. “Hollywood” caught five passes for 45 yards, including an early 13-yarder that converted a fourth down and led to an eventual touchdown. But perhaps most importantly, Brown’s mere presence kept Houston from double-teaming Xavier Worthy, DeAndre Hopkins and Travis Kelce all afternoon. Steelers player to watch LB T.J. Watt. The perennial All-Pro is dealing with an ankle injury and had a quiet game in the loss to Baltimore, finishing with just four tackles and didn’t have a single hit against Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. Pittsburgh’s best chance at pulling the upset relies heavily on disrupting Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes at every turn. To do it, Watt will need to do some Watt-like things. The 30-year-old leads the NFL in forced fumbles for a defense that thrives on takeaways. Key matchup Steelers RBs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris against the Chiefs rush defense, which is ranked third in the NFL and allowing just 91.4 yards per game. The Chiefs held the Texans’ Joe Mixon to just 57 yards rushing last week, the latest in a season-long trend of shutting down top running backs. The Browns’ Nick Chubb had 41 yards the previous week, and the Ravens’ Derrick Henry, the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson and the Saints’ Alvin Kamara are among those who have similarly struggled against Kansas City. Key injuries Chiefs: LT D.J. Humphries (hamstring) and CB Chamarri Conner (concussion) are likely to miss a second straight game. DT Chris Jones (calf) and RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) are iffy after getting hurt against Houston. Steelers: WR George Pickens (hamstring) should return after missing the past three games. S DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and DT Larry Ogunjobi (groin) may also be back after sitting the past two weeks. Starting CB Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and backup wide receiver/special teams ace Ben Skowronek (hip) are out. Series notes The Steelers have dominated the series, leading 23-14, but the Chiefs have won the past three games. That includes a 42-21 rout in their most recent matchup in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Jan. 16, 2022 — the last game played by Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Prior to the Chiefs’ three-game win streak, the Steelers had won three in a row, including an 18-16 victory in the divisional round on Jan. 15, 2017, that they won despite not scoring a touchdown. Stats and stuff Kansas City can clinch the No. 1 seed and first-round playoff bye with a win over the Steelers, or if the Bills lose or tie when they play the Jets on Sunday. ... Pittsburgh has dropped two straight, but can still earn its first AFC North title since 2020 by winning its last two games. ... The Chiefs can set a franchise record for regular-season wins with their 15th by beating Pittsburgh or Denver in their regular-season finale, breaking a tie with the 2020 and ‘22 teams. ... The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes needs three TD passes to break Peyton Manning’s record of 244 for a QB’s first eight seasons. Mahomes did not start as a rookie and has played just 111 games while Manning played 128 over that span. ... Mahomes has dominated the Steelers so far in his career, throwing 14 touchdowns without a pick while leading Kansas City to three victories in as many tries. ... Chiefs WR DeAndre Hopkins has an NFL-leading 177 straight games with a catch. TE Travis Kelce is second with 173. ... Kelce has 76 TD catches, tied with Tony Gonzalez for the Chiefs record. Kelce has 79 total TDs, four shy of Priest Holmes’ franchise record. ... WR Xavier Worthy has five TD catches, tied for the sixth most by a rookie in Chiefs history. Worthy also has three TD runs, and the eight total is also tied for sixth most in franchise history. ... Chiefs DB Trent McDuffie has intercepted a pass in back-to-back games. He did not have a pick in his first 48 games. ... This is the 12th game in Steelers history to be played on Wednesday and the first since 2020, when a showdown with the Ravens was repeatedly postponed because of COVID-19 issues. Pittsburgh is 5-6 all time on Wednesdays. ... A healthy Pickens will likely give the Steelers passing game a serious boost. QB Russell Wilson is averaging just 167.7 yards per game in Pickens’ absence, down from 271 yards per game with Pickens in the lineup. ... This is Pittsburgh’s first regular-season game against a team with 14 wins. ... The Steelers have five wins against the defending Super Bowl champions since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. ... Pittsburgh is 26-12 in Weeks 17 and 18 since the start of the 1990 season, the second-most wins in the NFL over that span behind Green Bay (28). ... The Steelers have won seven straight games and 12 of their past 13 the week following a loss of at least 17 points. ... Pittsburgh leads the NFL with 31 takeaways. and has forced at least two turnovers 11 times. Fantasy tip It might be championship week in your league, so why not turn to a championship quarterback. Mahomes has earned the benefit of the doubt even in a “down” season by his standards and with Pittsburgh missing its top cornerback and the pass rush slowed of late, give Mahomes a start against a team he has toyed with in his career. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
West Ham: Julen Lopetegui counters Jarrod Bowen claim over Europe with 'more important' goalThe Chicago Bears have a lot of work to do this offseason to continue building this roster around rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. In just 16 weeks, Williams has proved he has the potential to turn into the best thing that has ever happened to this franchise , as long as the team puts the pieces in place around him to not only further elevate his play, but most importantly, win games. It'll be a tall task for the Bears' front office and general manager Ryan Poles, but the team has everything they need to make it happen over the next few months. After dropping nine consecutive games, the Bears have actually put themselves in a great position looking ahead to the 2025 NFL Draft. Right now, the Bears have the 9th overall pick and at worst would have the 10th overall pick if the team manages to win out over the final two games, along with two other picks currently in the Top-50. What the Bears do with those top selections remains to be seen, but by looking at the team this season, it's obvious what direction the team needs to go in the draft. Williams needs some more offensive support, both on the line of scrimmage and in the weapons he can distribute the ball too. On defense, adding more high-end depth to the defensive line has to be a top priority too. In the latest mock draft from our own AJ Schulte , Schulte had the Bears tackling all of those weaknesses by adding impact players in the first three round of the draft. Here's which players he had the Bears taking with their first four selections: 9th Overall Pick: Will Campbell (OL, LSU) With another pick in the Top-10, the Bears can take advantage of their hand by landing another blue-chip prospect in the first round like they did in 2023 by drafting right tackle Darnell Wright with the 10th overall pick. This time around, Schulte has the Bears taking the first offensive lineman off the board in LSU's Will Campbell, passing on 2024 Outland Trophy winner Kelvin Banks Jr. out of Texas. Both players are worthy of being the first offensive lineman off the board come April's draft and it just depends what the team is looking for. For the Bears, the decision to take Campbell over Banks makes sense. Campbell started 12 games in 2024 at left tackle but also profiles as a potential guard at the next level. In those 12 games, Campbell allowed just 1 sack and 14 pressures. Campbell could be the ideal fit for the Bears as a guy who could start at either position. Campbell could look to compete at left tackle following Braxton Jones' significant injury or could replace Teven Jenkins at left guard if the team opts to let him walk in free agency . Either way, he would be a significant upgrade to the front. #LSU OT Will Campbell will forego his final season and has officially declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. Could be one of the first blockers off of the board. pic.twitter.com/lIC5iTkvX4 40th Overall Pick: Kyren Lacy (WR, LSU) With the team's first pick in the second round, Schulte had the Bears sticking in Baton Rouge and selecting LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy. LSU has become a legitimate farm school breeding top-tier NFL talent such as Justin Jefferson , Ja'Marr Chase, Malik Nabers , and Brian Thomas Jr., just to name a few of the recent ones. The Bears wide receiver room could have an opening if the team decides not to bring back veteran Keenan Allen and Lacy would be a solid fit lining up alongside DJ Moore and Rome Odunze in the Bears' offense. With the Tigers in 2024, Lacy led the team with 58 receptions, 866 yards, and nine touchdowns. Lacy did the bulk of his work on the outside but did play 156 snaps in the slot. In 2023, Lacy finished third on the team in yards and touchdowns behind future first round selections in Nabers and Thomas. 40th overall would be incredible value. KYREN LACY WALKS OFF OLE MISS IN OVERTIME DEATH VALLEY IS ALIVE pic.twitter.com/GfPiSh0Qx8 41st Overall Pick (via CAR): Marcus Mbow (OL, Purdue) One pick later, Schulte had the Bears using the final selection coming from the blockbuster trade with the Carolina Panthers to select another offensive lineman in Purdue's Marcus Mbow. At Purdue in 2024, Mbow started all 12 games at right tackle allowing three sacks and 22 pressures, but two of those sacks came against Notre Dame's top ranked defense in Week 3. After that game, Mbow allowed just one sack the rest of the season. Mbow is extremely athletic and very good on his, according to ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid. When projecting his impact in the NFL, Mbow has the size and athleticism to play tackle, guard, or center. For a team that's potentially going to replace 3/4 starters this offseason, Mbow is a safe prospect to bank on that you can eventually find a starting spot for during the summer. #Purdue OL Marcus Mbow announces that he’s entering the 2025 NFL draft. A prospect that many scouts are already excited about. Athletic blocker with very good feet. pic.twitter.com/sV6Hy7mYaF 71st Overall Pick: TJ Sanders (DT, South Carolina) In the third round, Schulte finally had the Bears addressing the defense by pinning South Carolina defensive tackle TJ Sanders to the team with the 71st overall pick. When it comes to finding a solid contributor to the defensive front late on Day 2 of the draft, Sanders would be your best bet. At 6'4, 290 pounds with a ridiculous wing span, Sanders has all the intangibles that could cause him to go even higher. From a production standpoint, Sanders was ultra-disruptive for the Gamecocks in 2024, finishing the year with 5 sacks, 32 total pressures, and 24 stops. Among SEC defensive tackles, Sanders' sack total was second behind Ole Miss' Walter Nolen, whom Schulte had landing with the Minnesota Vikings in the first round. Adding a player like Sanders to a defensive front with Montez Sweat , Gervon Dexter, and Andrew Billings would give Chicago another D-Line that the rest of the NFL should fear for years to come. South Carolina DT TJ Sanders #BuildingTheBoard At 6'4" and 290 pounds, TJ Sanders is a disruptive DT with an enticing blend of size, athleticism, and skill. With over 34-inch arms and a projectable frame, he possesses the physical tools NFL teams covet in defensive linemen.... pic.twitter.com/3qCRpSKAi4 This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.I picked up Marvel Rivals because it’s popular with my pals and free-to-play, but I’m not much of a Marvel buff. I know my Black Widows from my Winter Soldiers, but characters like Magik, Luna Snow, and Adam Warlock are new to me. There’s one hero in particular I was delighted to discover: Jeff the Land Shark, who’s just a little guy I absolutely adore. In a roster full of superpowered badasses, I’m obsessed with Jeff — and I’m not alone. Jeff the Land Shark is a relatively new hero, especially considering some of Marvel Rivals ’ cast date back decades. He’s a baby shark with short little legs, big googly eyes, and a toothy grin. I can’t express enough how delightful it is to play as Jeff: his toe beans, the way he hums menacingly when he submerges beneath the ground, his reload animation that has him flip on his back and snack on a tasty fish... I don’t know what else you want. He’s perfect. Hilariously enough, Jeff has one of the most rage-inducing ultimate abilities in Marvel Rivals . He creates a massive whirlpool — charmingly called “It’s Jeff!” — and then gobbles up each enemy caught in the whirlpool’s radius. Jeff can then spit those enemies out, sending them off a cliff, or into the middle of a bunch of hostile duelists. It’s great fun. Polygon’s comics buff Susana Polo is no stranger to the Jeff The Land Shark fanbase. “I would lay Jeff’s appeal squarely at writer Kelly Thompson and artist Stefano Caselli, who created him for West Coast Avengers , but also the Japanese illustrator team Gurihiru, who draw the It’s Jeff! comic for Marvel Unlimited,“ she said. ”Their cartooning is best in the superhero biz, and you can see a straight line from their chaotic, wordless, “Sunday Funnies” gag comics to the adorable mayhem Jeff seems to be injecting into these matches.“ I, for one, am delighted to meet Jeff The Land Shark through Marvel Rivals . Sure, the rest of the game is fun, and its nice to have a multiplayer title that all my friends like. But more importantly, I love Jeff, and you should too. Culture Gaming PC