The Pittsburgh Steelers looked like one of the NFL's early Super Bowl contenders before a rookie quarterback derailed them in Week 3. Can Ben Roethlisberger bounce back and recharge Pittsburgh's run to an AFC North title by beating Kansas City in a Sunday Night Football showdown?
You can find out by tuning into NBC on Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. ET. If you prefer watching online, NBC Sports also provides a live stream for every SNF matchup.
The Steelers shot out to a 2-0 start after rolling over Washington and Cincinnati, but that undefeated start quickly crumbled against Philadelphia. Carson Wentz continued his solid rookie campaign as the Eagles romped to a 34-3 win that crowned his team 2016 Pennsylvania state champions. The young passer carved up the Pittsburgh defense to the tune of 301 yards and a pair of passing touchdowns to mark the best performance of his young career.
Roethlisberger, on the other hand, failed to connect with any of his receivers outside of all-world wideout Antonio Brown. Brown finished his day with 140 yards on the day; the rest of the Steelers' offense combined for 146.
It was a far cry from the team that smoked Washington en route to 38 points in its season opener. Fortunately, they'll have an extra weapon on which to rely this week. Le'Veon Bell will return to the Pittsburgh lineup after missing the first three weeks of the season due to suspension. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley plans to mix his potent young back with a steady dose of veteran DeAngelo Williams, who has already churned up 258 yards on the ground this season.
Together, they should create a thunder and lightning platoon for an offense in desperate need of a jump start after last week's shutdown. The Chiefs should give them room to run. The defense ranks just 24th in the league in terms of rushing yards allowed this season and 18th in opponent yards per carry.
Kansas City is already playing catch-up to division rival Denver. A Week 2 defeat to the Houston Texans dropped the Chiefs a game behind the undefeated Broncos, but Andy Reid's team rebounded strongly to force a total Ryan Fitzpatrick meltdown its following game. The New York quarterback threw six interceptions -- two to rising star Marcus Peters -- as the opportunistic KC defense led its team back to the happy side of .500.
The Chiefs have had their own issues at tailback thanks to the absence of injured starter Jamaal Charles, but they've stayed afloat behind the gashing runs of Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West. Ware in particular has been invaluable as a dynamic back who can hurt opponents on the ground (202 yards) as well as through the air (185 yards). They'll pair with quarterback Alex Smith and an opportunistic defense that's forced more turnovers than any other team in the NFL this season.
Kansas City hasn't made playoff appearances in back-to-back seasons since 1995. The Chiefs will get a leg up in the early postseason race if they can find a way to escape Pittsburgh with a win on Sunday night.
How to Watch Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Place: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
TV: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya
Online: NBC Sports, Verizon NFL Mobile