The move, first reported by 610 AM in Kansas City, has not yet been announced.

Haley will replace Bruce Arians, now with the Indianapolis Colts.

The 45-year-old Haley, fired by Kansas City on Dec. 13, went 19-26 in two-plus seasons with the Chiefs, leading them to the 2010 AFC West title.

He spent 10 seasons as an assistant before being hired by Kansas City. He was offensive coordinator for Arizona in 2007-08, helping lead the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance.

Phone messages left for Haley by the Associated Press were not immediately returned.

The Steelers went 12-4 this season but lost the AFC North title to Baltimore on a tiebreaker.

The Chiefs were 5-8 when Haley was dismissed. His last game was a tough one. Kansas City lost, 37-10, to the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, and it was their fifth loss in six games. Kansas City committed 11 penalties for 128 yards in the performance, including a 15-yarder on Haley for unsportsmanlike conduct that may have sealed his fate.

The next day, he was fired.

“Timing in these situations is always difficult. There never seems to be a right time,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said at the time. “We just felt the inconsistent play the team has experienced throughout the season, including yesterday’s game, made today the right day to do it.”

After three lopsided losses to start the season, Kansas City rattled off four straight wins and briefly pulled into a tie atop the AFC West. But that was followed by a home loss to previously winless Miami, the start of a disastrous six weeks in which the losses mounted.

“We’ve had one of those years where we’ve had injuries, and injuries to key players, but that’s typical in the National Football League,” Hunt said then. “As a team, you have to find a way to overcome that, and we just weren’t able to do that this year. Our play was up and down the entire season and at times it was up and down during a given game, and I think those contributed to our decision.”

Without a bye, the Steelers had to play a road game at Denver to open the postseason. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 289 yards and a touchdown, but the Steelers fell to the Broncos, 29-23, in overtime.

Haley is the son of Dick Haley, formerly the director of player personnel for the Steelers from 1971-1990.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Throughout the 16 minutes that followed him glowingly introducing former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley as his new offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stood proudly in the corner of the second-floor media room at the team’s facility.

Honestly.

During the press conference officially announcing Haley as the replacement for Bruce Arians, Tomlin even offered approving nods and smiles at the appropriate times.

And, yes, he also laughed when Haley was asked about his reputation as someone who has had difficulty getting along with co-workers.

“As an offensive coordinator, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience,” Tomlin said. “But he also brings intangibles I really value.”

Time will tell.

Amid reports that Steelers president Art Rooney II orchestrated the departure of Arians and pushed for Haley to be his replacement above Tomlin’s wishes, Tomlin made it a point to mention he was the one conducting the interviews for Arians’ replacement.

“When I started this process of exploring potential coordinators, I talked to a lot of people and did a lot of research, and I was really impressed by him,” Tomlin said. “Not only by his resume and his experience, but also his genuine love for the Pittsburgh Steelers. That was a unique element of it for me, one I’ve been attracted to in the past, to be quite honest.”

A 15-year NFL coaching veteran, Haley stressed his ties to the Steelers organization and his reverence for its tradition. The son of former Steelers director of player personnel Dick Haley reminisced about growing up a team ball boy.

“All of my early memories in life somehow,” Haley said, “revolved around the Steelers.

“I’m just very grateful coach Tomlin and the Rooney family thought enough of me to have me in here to help be part of continued greatness. In my mind, this is the greatest organization in the NFL and the greatest team, and that all comes from the heart.”

Haley, 44, was fired by Kansas City on Dec. 13, after going 19-26 in two-plus seasons with the Chiefs, leading them to the 2010 AFC West title. He finished third in AP coach of the year voting that season with the league’s top rushing offense.

As offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals two years prior to that, Haley’s offense was second in the NFL in passing.

“I’m just a believer, offensively, that you do what gives you the best chance to succeed,” Haley said. “So if you’re best chance to succeed is running the ball 63 times a game, then you run it 63 times a game. I’m going to do what gives our players the chance to be the best they possibly can be.”

Under Arians, now with the Indianapolis Colts, the Steelers ranked 12th last season in total offense but 21st in scoring. He left behind an offense that scored 325 points en route to finishing 12-4.

The Steelers lost the AFC North title to Baltimore on a tiebreaker, and were eliminated from the postseason by Denver.

Tomlin, who was not quoted in Tuesday’s team release announcing Haley’s hiring, said after the season that Arians would be back. He reportedly told Arians himself and other members of his staff that, too.

But the Steelers announced what they termed Arians’ retirement in a short release with no comment from Arians on Jan. 20. Ten days later, Arians took a job with the Colts.

Tomlin acknowledged “this transition is going to be a challenge,” and wouldn’t provide any details on the look of the new offense.

“We find pleasure,” Tomlin said, “in that being somewhat of a mystery.”

Haley spent 10 seasons as an assistant before being hired by Kansas City. While the offensive coordinator for Arizona in 2007-08, he helped the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance.

His father helped preside over player moves that formed the Super Bowl era’s first dynasty. Dick Haley, who held his job with the Steelers from 1971-1990, is best known for Pittsburgh’s 1974 draft class that is considered among the best in NFL history because it produced four Hall of Fame players.

Haley’s familiarity with the terminology of the Steelers’ system comes not from that era, but from his time in Arizona working under former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.

Haley also began his NFL career in the scouting department of the New York Jets when that team employed Ron Erhardt as offensive coordinator in 1996. Erhardt held that job with the Steelers when they went to the Super Bowl the previous season.

Haley said he’s approaching the Pittsburgh offense with a clean slate.

“Players want to know that you have their best or greatest desires at the front of your list,” Haley said. “Every player that I’ve ever been around, whether as a position coach, coordinator or head coach, once they figure that out, you have their respect.”

Although Haley said he has spent an abundance of time with Tomlin over the past week, he has not yet met Pro Bowl quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger was at the team facility Thursday, but was not part of the press conference. The two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback had a good relationship with Arians and has openly campaigned for Arians to stay on in the past.

“Transition is always a little — I wouldn’t even say difficult — but there’s an uncomfortable aspect to newness,” Haley said. “But that’s not always a bad thing. I think it’ll be a great thing in this case, and he’s going to figure out that we’re just trying to make him as good as he can possibly can be.

“Not many players that I’ve known have ever had an issue with that.”

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Steelers have named Todd Haley their new offensive co-ordinator.

Haley, 45, will replace Bruce Arians, now with the Indianapolis Colts, and will inherit an offence that scored 325 points last season en route to finishing 12-4.

Haley was fired by Kansas City on Dec. 13, after going 19-26 in two-plus seasons with the Chiefs, leading them to the 2010 AFC West title.

He spent 10 seasons as an assistant before being hired by Kansas City. He was offensive co-ordinator for Arizona in 2007-08, helping lead the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance. And he is the son of Dick Haley, who spent 44 seasons in the NFL including serving as the Steelers’ director of player personnel from 1971-90.

The Steelers lost the AFC North title to Baltimore on a tiebreaker, and were eliminated from the post-season by Denver.

“I am excited about the opportunity to come back home and work for a tremendous organization,” Haley said. “It is an honour to work with the Rooney family and coach (Mike) Tomlin and continue the success that has become synonymous with the Steelers. My father has so many fond memories both from his playing days and his time in the personnel department with the team, and I look forward to helping bring more championships to Pittsburgh and to being a part of one of the storied franchises in the NFL.”

The Chiefs were 5-8 when Haley was dismissed. His last game was a tough one. Kansas City lost, 37-10, to the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, and it was their fifth loss in six games. Kansas City committed 11 penalties for 128 yards in the performance, including a 15-yarder on Haley for unsportsmanlike conduct that may have sealed his fate.

The next day, he was fired.

“Timing in these situations is always difficult. There never seems to be a right time,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said at the time. “We just felt the inconsistent play the team has experienced throughout the season, including yesterday’s game, made today the right day to do it.”

After three lopsided losses to start the season, Kansas City rattled off four straight wins and briefly pulled into a tie atop the AFC West. But that was followed by a home loss to previously winless Miami, the start of a disastrous six weeks in which the losses mounted.

“We’ve had one of those years where we’ve had injuries, and injuries to key players, but that’s typical in the National Football League,” Hunt said then. “As a team, you have to find a way to overcome that, and we just weren’t able to do that this year. Our play was up and down the entire season and at times it was up and down during a given game, and I think those contributed to our decision.”

Less than a year before he was fired, Haley led the Chiefs to the greatest single-season turnaround in franchise history, winning the division title by recording six more victories than in 2009.

Without a bye, the Steelers had to play a road game at Denver to open the post-season. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 289 yards and a touchdown, but the Steelers fell to the Broncos, 29-23, in overtime.

Under Arians, Pittsburgh had a good year offensively. Roethlisberger threw for 4,077 yards, Mike Wallace had 1,193 receiving yards, and Rashard Mendenhall had 928 rushing yards. Arians was the Colts’ quarterbacks coach during Peyton Manning’s first three seasons, and was Pittsburgh’s offensive co-ordinator the last five seasons.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Steelers will hire former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley to be their offensive co-ordinator, according to an ESPN report.

The move, first reported by 610 AM in Kansas City, has not yet been announced.

Haley will replace Bruce Arians, now with the Indianapolis Colts.

The 45-year-old Haley, fired by Kansas City on Dec. 13, went 19-26 in two-plus seasons with the Chiefs, leading them to the 2010 AFC West title.

He spent 10 seasons as an assistant before being hired by Kansas City. He was offensive co-ordinator for Arizona in 2007-08, helping lead the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance.

Phone messages left for Haley by the Associated Press were not immediately returned.

The Steelers went 12-4 this season but lost the AFC North title to Baltimore on a tiebreaker.

The Chiefs were 5-8 when Haley was dismissed. His last game was a tough one. Kansas City lost, 37-10, to the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, and it was their fifth loss in six games. Kansas City committed 11 penalties for 128 yards in the performance, including a 15-yarder on Haley for unsportsmanlike conduct that may have sealed his fate.

The next day, he was fired.

“Timing in these situations is always difficult. There never seems to be a right time,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said at the time. “We just felt the inconsistent play the team has experienced throughout the season, including yesterday’s game, made today the right day to do it.”

After three lopsided losses to start the season, Kansas City rattled off four straight wins and briefly pulled into a tie atop the AFC West. But that was followed by a home loss to previously winless Miami, the start of a disastrous six weeks in which the losses mounted.

“We’ve had one of those years where we’ve had injuries, and injuries to key players, but that’s typical in the National Football League,” Hunt said then. “As a team, you have to find a way to overcome that, and we just weren’t able to do that this year. Our play was up and down the entire season and at times it was up and down during a given game, and I think those contributed to our decision.”

Without a bye, the Steelers had to play a road game at Denver to open the post-season. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 289 yards and a touchdown, but the Steelers fell to the Broncos, 29-23, in overtime.

Haley is the son of Dick Haley, formerly the director of player personnel for the Steelers from 1971-1990.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Steelers will hire former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley to be their offensive coordinator, according to an ESPN report.

The move, first reported by 610 AM in Kansas City, has not yet been announced.

Haley will replace Bruce Arians, now with the Indianapolis Colts.

The 45-year-old Haley, fired by Kansas City on Dec. 13, went 19-26 in two-plus seasons with the Chiefs, leading them to the 2010 AFC West title.

He spent 10 seasons as an assistant before being hired by Kansas City. He was offensive coordinator for Arizona in 2007-08, helping lead the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance.

Phone messages left for Haley by the Associated Press were not immediately returned.

The Steelers went 12-4 this season but lost the AFC North title to Baltimore on a tiebreaker.

The Chiefs were 5-8 when Haley was dismissed. His last game was a tough one. Kansas City lost, 37-10, to the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, and it was their fifth loss in six games. Kansas City committed 11 penalties for 128 yards in the performance, including a 15-yarder on Haley for unsportsmanlike conduct that may have sealed his fate.

The next day, he was fired.

“Timing in these situations is always difficult. There never seems to be a right time,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said at the time. “We just felt the inconsistent play the team has experienced throughout the season, including yesterday’s game, made today the right day to do it.”

After three lopsided losses to start the season, Kansas City rattled off four straight wins and briefly pulled into a tie atop the AFC West. But that was followed by a home loss to previously winless Miami, the start of a disastrous six weeks in which the losses mounted.

“We’ve had one of those years where we’ve had injuries, and injuries to key players, but that’s typical in the National Football League,” Hunt said then. “As a team, you have to find a way to overcome that, and we just weren’t able to do that this year. Our play was up and down the entire season and at times it was up and down during a given game, and I think those contributed to our decision.”

Without a bye, the Steelers had to play a road game at Denver to open the postseason. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 289 yards and a touchdown, but the Steelers fell to the Broncos, 29-23, in overtime.

Haley is the son of Dick Haley, formerly the director of player personnel for the Steelers from 1971-1990.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Steelers will hire former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley to be their offensive coordinator, according to an ESPN report.

The move, first reported by 610 AM in Kansas City, has not yet been announced.

Haley will replace Bruce Arians, now with the Indianapolis Colts.

The 45-year-old Haley, fired by Kansas City on Dec. 13, went 19-26 in two-plus seasons with the Chiefs, leading them to the 2010 AFC West title.

He spent 10 seasons as an assistant before being hired by Kansas City. He was offensive coordinator for Arizona in 2007-08, helping lead the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance.

Phone messages left for Haley by the Associated Press were not immediately returned.

The Steelers went 12-4 this season but lost the AFC North title to Baltimore on a tiebreaker.

The Chiefs were 5-8 when Haley was dismissed. His last game was a tough one. Kansas City lost, 37-10, to the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, and it was their fifth loss in six games. Kansas City committed 11 penalties for 128 yards in the performance, including a 15-yarder on Haley for unsportsmanlike conduct that may have sealed his fate.

The next day, he was fired.

“Timing in these situations is always difficult. There never seems to be a right time,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said at the time. “We just felt the inconsistent play the team has experienced throughout the season, including yesterday’s game, made today the right day to do it.”

After three lopsided losses to start the season, Kansas City rattled off four straight wins and briefly pulled into a tie atop the AFC West. But that was followed by a home loss to previously winless Miami, the start of a disastrous six weeks in which the losses mounted.

“We’ve had one of those years where we’ve had injuries, and injuries to key players, but that’s typical in the National Football League,” Hunt said then. “As a team, you have to find a way to overcome that, and we just weren’t able to do that this year. Our play was up and down the entire season and at times it was up and down during a given game, and I think those contributed to our decision.”

Without a bye, the Steelers had to play a road game at Denver to open the postseason. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 289 yards and a touchdown, but the Steelers fell to the Broncos, 29-23, in overtime.

Haley is the son of Dick Haley, formerly the director of player personnel for the Steelers from 1971-1990.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Steelers will hire former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley to be their offensive coordinator, according to an ESPN report.

The move, first reported by 610 AM in Kansas City, has not yet been announced.

Haley will replace Bruce Arians, now with the Indianapolis Colts.

The 45-year-old Haley, fired by Kansas City on Dec. 13, went 19-26 in two-plus seasons with the Chiefs, leading them to the 2010 AFC West title.

He spent 10 seasons as an assistant before being hired by Kansas City. He was offensive coordinator for Arizona in 2007-08, helping lead the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance.

Phone messages left for Haley by the Associated Press were not immediately returned.

The Steelers went 12-4 this season but lost the AFC North title to Baltimore on a tiebreaker.

The Chiefs were 5-8 when Haley was dismissed. His last game was a tough one. Kansas City lost, 37-10, to the New York Jets at the Meadowlands, and it was their fifth loss in six games. Kansas City committed 11 penalties for 128 yards in the performance, including a 15-yarder on Haley for unsportsmanlike conduct that may have sealed his fate.

The next day, he was fired.

“Timing in these situations is always difficult. There never seems to be a right time,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said at the time. “We just felt the inconsistent play the team has experienced throughout the season, including yesterday’s game, made today the right day to do it.”

After three lopsided losses to start the season, Kansas City rattled off four straight wins and briefly pulled into a tie atop the AFC West. But that was followed by a home loss to previously winless Miami, the start of a disastrous six weeks in which the losses mounted.

“We’ve had one of those years where we’ve had injuries, and injuries to key players, but that’s typical in the National Football League,” Hunt said then. “As a team, you have to find a way to overcome that, and we just weren’t able to do that this year. Our play was up and down the entire season and at times it was up and down during a given game, and I think those contributed to our decision.”

Without a bye, the Steelers had to play a road game at Denver to open the postseason. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 289 yards and a touchdown, but the Steelers fell to the Broncos, 29-23, in overtime.

Haley is the son of Dick Haley, formerly the director of player personnel for the Steelers from 1971-1990.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

January 31, 2012

The Pittsburgh Steelers have interviewed former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley for the team’s vacant offensive coordinator position.

Haley, fired by the Chiefs in December, met with Pittsburgh
coach Mike Tomlin on Tuesday.

The Steelers need to replace Bruce Arians, who was not retained.
Arians was hired to the same position by the Indianapolis Colts on
Monday. Pittsburgh finished 12th in the NFL in yards in 2011 but
just 21st in points scored.

The 45-year-old Haley went 19-26 in two-plus seasons with the
Chiefs, leading them to the 2010 AFC West title.

Haley spent 10 seasons as an assistant before being hired by
Kansas City. He was offensive coordinator for Arizona in 2007-08,
helping lead the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl appearance.

By BJ Kissel

– Staff Writer

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Nov 28, 2011 – The Kansas City Chiefs are right in the middle of a brutal part of their schedule that includes the final four teams in last seasons’ playoff picture. That’s not including last weeks’ game against the New England Patriots. After losing to the Steelers on Sunday night, the Chiefs can look forward to the Bears, Jets and Packers over the next three weeks. Most Chiefs fans knew coming into this season and taking a look at that schedule that we would truly learn how far this team has come along after this current stretch of games. Then the injuries happened. First it was Tony Moeaki, then Eric Berry, then Jamaal Charles and finally Matt Cassel.

It’s hard to get a read on how good of a team we actually had when everyone was healthy because we didn’t see it this year, and we still won’t see it. But this is the NFL and nobody was going to feel sorry for the Chiefs. I don’t see the Houston Texans struggling after losing Mario Williams, Arian Foster, Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub and now, Matt Leinart. Obviously some of those weren’t season-ending injuries, but all teams have to deal with injuries and while most teams around the NFL couldn’t bounce-back from the injuries the Chiefs have suffered this year, that doesn’t change the schedule laid out on front of them.

And for the Chiefs, that didn’t change from them playing back-to-back primetime games in front of the entire country. It’s one thing to be struggling and have to play good teams when you don’t have your star players healthy, it’s quite another to have to do it in front of the entire country against two of the best teams teams in the AFC, in primetime, in consecutive weeks. 

But it took a pretty special effort from the Kansas City Chiefs defense to go out there and perform the way that they did over the last two weeks. Especially considering the Chiefs offense gave away seven, yes SEVEN, turnovers in the last two games. So while the Chiefs offense was embarrassing itself and all Chiefs fans around the country, the defense gave all of us something we could hang our hat on at the end of the day. The Chiefs went to Foxboro and gave Tom Brady and the Patriots offense all they could handle for the first half of that game. The Eagles couldn’t do that at home with their “dream team” defensive backfield.

The Patriots may have won the game by a final score of 34-3, but anyone who watched that game will know that Tom Brady’s 15-27 performance for 234 yards and two touchdowns wasn’t very Brady-like. Only two other times this season was he held to fewer than 234 yards passing. Brady had 198 yards passing in a loss to the Steelers and 226 in a win against the Raiders. It was a couple of big plays in the second half that broke that game open, but it was obvious that the Chiefs had Brady struggling for a good portion of that game and not many teams around the NFL can say that, let alone do it on Monday night football in Foxboro. 

It was mentioned several times on the Sunday night broadcast how well the Chiefs defense was playing and keeping them in the game against the Steelers. I don’t think it can be stated enough how proud Chiefs fans should be of the defense right now. They held the Pittsburgh Steelers to 291 yards of total offense and just one touchdown, all while having the Chiefs offense hand them four turnovers. (The last was at the end of the game, but still) If it hadn’t of been for the defense against the Patriots and Steelers, I’d be struggling to look forward to the rest of the season.

But as it stands now, I know that former Broncos quarterback, Kyle Orton will have a full week of practice to get acclimated to this team and hopefully he picks up the offense quickly. Because with the way this defense has played over the last two weeks, there is reason to be optimistic if Orton can come in and at-worst, be average for the final five games of the season. So while playoff chances may be hanging on by a very small thread, I still find good reason to feel good about a particular part of the Chiefs team right now. I wasn’t sure that would have been the case a few weeks ago.

Read More: Tom Brady (QB – NEP), Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots

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These are the times that try Joe Posnanski’s soul. The Kansas City Chiefs lost 13-9 to the Pittsburgh Steelers last night. They had a drive to win the game that ended when their top receiver raised his hand to call for the ball then failed to raise his hands to catch that ball when it was thrown. This is a flawed team that I want to be proud of, but it’s just that mental mistakes and an anemic offense are slowly turning me into a remote-throwing, head-shaking, full-out-cussing-out-my-television-screen citizen of Kansas City.

Let’s just take it quarter by quarter because the game in its entirety is still a little hard to swallow.

Quarter One: It was 36 degrees at game time, and the crowd was roaring, perhaps loudest when Steelers’ safety Troy Polamalu wobbled off the field with what is now being called “concussion symptoms.” The Chiefs are sporting their playoff beards, although the playoffs are seemingly more and more unlikely. Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is looking more and more like Russell Crowe when he lets himself go for a movie role.

The defense has again started the game with purpose. Tamba Hali strips Mewelde Moore at the goal line to prevent a touchdown. The offense also appears to have a purpose, although sadly it appears to be helping the Steelers cover the spread. Tyler Palko muffs the snap on the ensuing Chiefs’ possession, setting up the tone for the night. The defense will shut down an elite offense, while the Chiefs’ offense will make an opposing defense look elite (even without one of its elite players). After another solid stop by the home team, Palko throws a pick on the next snap he takes.

Quarter Two: Three snaps, three turnovers. There may not be anything more frustrating in the world than watching an inept offense attempt to move the football. The screen shows the average starting position for the Steelers — it’s the Chiefs’ 37-yard line. It’s somehow 13-6 at the half.

Quarter Three: Steelers’ offensive lineman Max Starks is holding Tamba Hali like it’s the last slow dance in eighth grade. Meanwhile, Chiefs’ coach Todd Haley is starting to look like a calculated risk taker. A play after Javier Arenas is stoned in the wildcat formation, he runs for a first down on a fake punt with two minutes to go in the quarter. Rather than a no-huddle offense, this could be the most successful Chiefs’ offensive philosophy in the second half of the season — it’s always four-down territory.

Quarter Four: The Chiefs have put together an actual drive with the running and the passing. That is, until, Anthony Becht tackles Jackie Battle on third-and-short. The problem? Becht is a tight end for the Chiefs, and the two bump into each other behind the line. This is a plot device in Little Giants, not the way a pro offense should operate.

Haley opts for a field goal attempt with seven minutes to go and all three of his timeouts left. The lead is cut to four, and somewhere Jack Harry is having an aneurysm. The Chiefs do get the ball back and proceed to move down the field again in five-to-eight-yard chunks in a lurching, ground-churning drive. Palko has appeared to find his rhythm, right up until the moment when he throws this third interception of the night after Bowe fails to even extend his arms to make a potential catch.

The Chiefs have scored one touchdown on their last 45 drives, a span of four games. The defense is being left out on the field in situations bordering on ludicrous. And I’m starting to feel guilty for how often I maligned Haley for appearing angry on the sidelines. This is not Madden football; this is maddening football.

Team                            1st Qtr.   2nd Qtr.   3rd Qtr.   4th Qtr.   Score

Kansas City                     

Pittsburgh                        

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

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Tyler Palko’s run as the Kansas City Chiefs’ starting quarterback may not last much longer, but he’ll at least have the chance to face his hometown team.

The Pittsburgh-area native will try to rebound from a bad first impression when he leads the injury-riddled Chiefs into battle against the formidable Pittsburgh Steelers, who’ll be entering Arrowhead Stadium for Sunday’s clash with some health concerns of their own at the position.

Palko made a long-awaited initial start of a vagabond five-year career in Kansas City’s road test with AFC East-leading New England this past Monday, but it turned out to be quite a trying experience for the former University of Pittsburgh star raised in nearby Imperial, Pa. The 28-year-old threw three interceptions and failed to direct a touchdown drive as the spiraling Chiefs were dealt a 34-3 defeat, the team’s second straight loss following a four-game win streak that had put it back in contention in the AFC West.

 “You can’t turn the ball over in this league and have a chance to win football games, especially against a good offense like that,” said Palko, who was elevated to first-string when regular starter Matt Cassel sustained a season- ending broken hand in a Week 10 setback to Denver. “[You] can’t give them more opportunities than they already get.”

The left-handed journeyman did finish with 236 yards while completing 25-of-38 throws on the NFL’s 32nd-ranked pass defense, but now must go up against a sturdy Pittsburgh stop unit that’s yielding just 183.2 yards per game through the air, the third-lowest amount in the league.

The Steelers haven’t been skilled at forcing turnovers, however, as the reigning AFC champions have produced just four interceptions and an NFL-low six takeaways during their 7-3 start.

Palko may not get a third chance anyway regardless of if he improves this week. With the Chiefs still within striking distance in the division race, the defending AFC West title-holders claimed the considerably more tested Kyle Orton off waivers from the Broncos on Wednesday and will ready him to start the club’s game at Chicago next week.

Kansas City enters Sunday’s play trailing Oakland by two games in the standings.

The Steelers, meanwhile, survived a major scare in their last outing, a critical 24-17 victory at fellow AFC North resident Cincinnati on Nov. 13. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger fractured his right thumb during the contest yet remained under center, with the two-time Super Bowl champion managing 245 yards and a touchdown with one interception on 21-of-33 passing.

Roethlisberger was fitted with a splint during Pittsburgh’s Week 11 bye and practiced without incident in the days leading up to Sunday’s tilt, though it’s unclear as to whether the injury will affect his performance.

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“The big thing is just getting used to throwing with a splint on it again and a glove, which I have done before,” he said.

Roethlisberger also broke the same thumb back in 2005, but did not miss any games.

He’ll be attempting to lead Pittsburgh to a sixth win in its last seven tries and put the Steelers back into a first-place tie in the AFC North. The Black and Gold presently trails rival Baltimore by a half-game in the division after the Ravens bested San Francisco on Thanksgiving night.

SERIES HISTORY

Pittsburgh holds a 17-9 overall advantage in its regular-season series with Kansas City, but was dealt a 27-24 overtime loss to the Chiefs in the most recent encounter between the teams, which took place at Arrowhead Stadium in 2009. The Steelers have won just twice in their last six visits to Kansas City and haven’t prevailed as the visitor in this set since a 20-17 triumph on Oct. 14, 2001. Pittsburgh also dropped a 41-20 decision on the road to the Chiefs in 2003, but blasted Kansas City by a 45-7 score at Heinz Field in 2006.

The Steelers and Chiefs have also squared off once previously in the postseason, with Kansas City recording a 27-24 home victory in a 1993 AFC First-Round Playoff.

Both Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and Kansas City’s Todd Haley have opposed one another, as well as their counterpart’s respective teams, just one time prior as head coaches, with Haley’s Chiefs downing Tomlin’s Steelers in the above- mentioned 2009 matchup.

WHEN THE STEELERS HAVE THE BALL

Pittsburgh owns the NFL’s sixth-ranked passing offense, averaging 273.2 yards per game via the air, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the team takes a more run-oriented approach this week with Roethlisberger (2877 passing yards, 16 TD, 9 INT) dealing with a wounded thumb. The Steelers haven’t been that effective moving the ball on the ground, however, with top back Rashard Mendenhall (517 rushing yards, 6 TD, 11 receptions) averaging a disappointing 3.8 yards per carry on the season and surpassing 70 yards just once this year. The former first-round pick mustered just 44 yards on 16 attempts against a tough Cincinnati defense in Week 10, but did score a pair of touchdowns in the win. Injuries along the front line have hindered the running game at times and made it hard on Roethlisberger on occasion as well, with the standout quarterback having been sacked a league-high 31 times in his 10 starts. When he’s had sufficient time to throw, Roethlisberger has done plenty of damage with a strong group of receivers headlined by dangerous playmaker Mike Wallace (53 receptions, 922 yards, 6 TD), one of the game’s premier deep threats who’s averaged an impressive 19.3 yards per catch over his three-year career. Second- year pro Antonio Brown (44 receptions, 626 yards, 1 TD) has emerged as an excellent No. 2 target as of late, with the sixth-round find have amassed 26 catches over the last four games and eclipsing 100 yards in two of those tests.

The Steelers may be able to get Mendenhall untracked against a Kansas City defense that’s been rather porous against the run in recent weeks. The Chiefs have yielded 155 rushing yards or more in three of their last five outings, with the pass-happy Patriots gaining 157 in Monday’s blowout and Denver’s read- option scheme accounting for 244 yards the previous week. The team was without one of its anchors up front in the New England game, with end Glenn Dorsey (35 tackles) sidelined with a sprained knee, but is hopeful the former first-round pick can make it back for Sunday’s matchup. Pressuring the passer has also been an issue for Kansas City, which began the week last in the NFL with a mere 12 sacks even after recording three against New England. More than half of that total has been compiled by outside linebacker Tamba Hali (42 tackles, 7 sacks), the club’s lone proven pass rusher who led the AFC with 14 1/2 quarterback takedowns during a Pro Bowl campaign in 2010. A secondary headed up by physical cornerback Brandon Flowers (42 tackles, 4 INT, 15 PD) and free safety Kendrick Lewis (36 tackles, 3 INT, 6 PD) has been a strength, with the Chiefs having come up with 13 interceptions in their 10 games.

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WHEN THE CHIEFS HAVE THE BALL

Haley’s game plan against the Patriots probably didn’t call for Palko (277 passing yards, 0 TD, 3 INT) to throw 37 times, but the journeyman quarterback was forced to air it out more than what was preferred once the Chiefs fell behind by double digits in the second half. Kansas City was able to run the ball with some success early in the contest, with the backfield committee of veteran Thomas Jones (252 rushing yards), Dexter McCluster (336 rushing yards, 30 receptions) and Jackie Battle (436 rushing yards, 1 TD) combining for 126 yards for the game, and all three will likely see their share of touches with Kansas City expected to play it conservatively again this week. Palko was able to hit on a few big passes to wide receivers Dwayne Bowe (48 receptions, 750 yards, 4 TD) and Steve Breaston (39 receptions, 2 TD), with the duo recording 13 catches totaling 160 yards in Monday’s loss, but his three turnovers and two failed chances within the red zone all contributed to the lopsided final score. This is an offense that doesn’t possess much in the way of playmakers, as the Chiefs’ season average of 4.9 yards per play is 27th in the league and they’ve averaged a mere 14.4 points per game (29th overall).

The Chiefs figure to be dinking-and-dunking once again this week considering the Steelers’ stoutness in the secondary and ability to harass enemy quarterbacks. With 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu (62 tackles, 1 sack, 7 PD) and shutdown cornerback Ike Taylor (25 tackles, 6 PD) roaming in the backfield, Pittsburgh has limited the opposition to a league-low 5.8 yards per pass attempt, and the group is backed by a pass rush that’s been slowed somewhat by terrorizing outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley’s (36 tackles, 9 sacks) hamstring injury that’s kept him out of the last two games and has him doubtful for this one. Opposite-side starter James Harrison (35 tackles, 5 sacks) continues to be a force when healthy, however, as evidenced by his three-sack outburst against Baltimore three weeks back. As has usually been the case, Pittsburgh remains a tough team to run on, with inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons (46 tackles, 1 INT) and unheralded end Brett Keisel (29 tackles, 3 sacks) leading a front seven that’s surrendered the sixth-fewest rushing yards in the NFL (96.9 ypg). The Steelers have a paltry total of four interceptions on the year, but two of them came in their Week 10 ousting of Cincinnati.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Roethlisberger’s finger. Though the Steelers don’t seem to be too concerned with their competitive quarterback’s injury, it remains to be seen if a team that’s now built on throwing the football will be as proficient in that area because of it. Pittsburgh doesn’t need to be real explosive to handle the punchless Chiefs, but any struggles on offense would work to Kansas City’s benefit if it can keep the usually-lively Arrowhead crowd fired up by keeping the score close deep into the contest.

Fast starts. Both teams have their reasons for wanting to run the ball here, with the Steelers having a quarterback with an injured hand and the Chiefs forced to trot out a fringe player at the position, and they’ll in better position to do so by sitting on an early lead. It’s especially important for Kansas City not to fall behind by a considerable margin, as Palko has yet to prove he’s capable of leading a team back from a deficit and he’ll be facing a Pittsburgh defense that’s fourth in the NFL in points allowed.

Turnovers. Realistically, Kansas City’s only chance of coming out with a win in this game is if the Steelers play sloppy, which isn’t out of the question for a team with a minus-10 turnover ratio on the season. The Chiefs have shown they can be successful when their defense is opportunistic, as they’ve garnered 11 takeaways in their four victories but just five in their six losses.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

This could be a trap-game scenario for the Steelers, who have an important divisional showdown with Cincinnati on the horizon and will be entering a venue that historically been difficult for opposing teams. Add in Roethlisberger’s injury and the fact that Pittsburgh won’t be without its best pass rusher in Woodley, and it’s entirely conceivable that the defending conference champions could be a bit rusty coming off their bye. Don’t bet on it, however. The Steelers have outscored their foes by an average of over 21 points in winning their game following the break in each of the last three seasons, and Kansas City’s anemic offense shouldn’t pose much of a threat. Look for Pittsburgh to keep it rather close to the vest and rely on its defense to grind out a methodical victory over a Chiefs team that’s just too undermanned.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Steelers 24, Chiefs 10

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KANSAS CITY (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t remember a whole lot about the last time the Pittsburgh Steelers played the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Steelers’ quarterback sustained a concussion when his head banged into the knee of Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson as he leaned headfirst during a running play in overtime. He came back to play some of his best games of the 2009 season afterward, twice throwing for three touchdowns without an interception and leading Pittsburgh to a second-place finish in the AFC North.

It certainly wasn’t the first time Big Ben was banged up.

There have been numerous concussions, several knee injuries and a fractured thumb sustained a few weeks ago against Cincinnati. Roethlisberger plans to play tonight against Kansas City, even though he admitted it’ll be painful, and that’s dreadful news to the Chiefs.

The truth is that Roethlisberger seems to play better when he’s ailing.

“He’s an extremely intense competitor,” Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin said, “and I think adversity such as that brings that out of him.”

Pittsburgh had last week off, giving Roethlisberger time to heal. But the thumb still bothered him in practice this week, and he didn’t take snaps under center early in the week, working out of the shotgun with a splint under his glove to protect it.

It’s unclear how Pittsburgh might alter its playbook in light of the injury, though it won’t be the first time there have been subtle tweaks. The team worked out of the shotgun and pistol last year against Baltimore to take some of the pressure off Roethlisberger’s sprained foot.

“I’ll be out there, I guarantee that,” Roethlisberger said. “It won’t be an issue that way. Will it be an issue with pain and throwing? I don’t know.”

It would take a lot more than a banged up thumb to keep Roethlisberger out this week. The Steelers (7-3) are a half-game behind Baltimore (8-3) in the tough AFC North, with Cincinnati just a game back, heading into today’s games.

They have a good opportunity to pick up a win on the road against the Chiefs (4-6), who have lost three straight and been ravaged by injuries all season.

The latest occurred two weeks ago, when quarterback Matt Cassel hurt his throwing hand late in a loss to Denver.

Any hope that he’d be able to return this season vanished the next day when he had season-ending surgery, turning the reins of an offense already missing tight end Tony Moeaki and All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles to a journeyman quarterback in Tyler Palko.

Palko appeared comfortable despite throwing three interceptions in a 34-3 loss last week at New England, which earned him another start today. After that is anyone’s guess.

The Chiefs picked Kyle Orton off waivers from the Broncos on Wednesday, but he couldn’t make it to Kansas City until Friday. That meant there was virtually no chance he could get up to speed in time to play against the Steelers. With a tough stretch coming up, though, the Chiefs were willing to pay the roughly $2.6 million Orton is still owed to potentially play in just five games.

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Kyle Orton might be active Sunday against Pittsburgh but as a third QB with his new team.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Todd Haley admits he was surprised that Kyle Orton’s name popped up on the waiver wire.

The fact it happened just after the Kansas City Chiefs lost starting quarterback Matt Cassel to a season-ending injury to his throwing hand made it almost serendipitous.

Orton joined the Chiefs on Friday, two days after he was claimed off waivers from the Broncos. He’ll have a chance to compete for the starting job for the rest of the year, though it’s unlikely he’ll be up to speed in time for Sunday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“We have to get Kyle assimilated into how we’re doing things,” Haley said, “and then make decisions as we get closer to the game, and then obviously next week.”

Haley wouldn’t rule out Orton being active against the Steelers, at least in a third quarterback role, assuming he learns enough of the playbook in just 48 hours. But the coach said Tyler Palko will make his second career start, and fifth-round draft pick Ricky Stanzi will remain the No. 2.

Palko threw for 230 yards and did a reasonable job of moving the Chiefs in a 34-3 loss to the New England Patriots last Monday night, but he also threw three interceptions that foiled promising drives.

“I have great confidence in Tyler. I really believe that he will continue to get better and give us a chance to win a big game this week,” Haley said.

Several other teams were interested in Orton, including the Chicago Bears, with whom he began his NFL career. But the Chiefs had the priority, along with plenty of room under the salary cap to absorb the roughly $2.6 million he’s owed through the rest of the season.

“I wouldn’t rule out anything at this point, other than Tyler is starting the game Sunday,” Haley said before practice Friday night. “We’ll just have to see.”

Palko said he wasn’t concerned about the arrival of Orton, who wasn’t made available to the media Friday.

“You can’t be sensitive,” Palko said. “You can’t worry about things you can’t control.”

What Palko can control is how he performs Sunday night against the Steelers.