Pittsburgh
Steelers

"It's just the way things have been going," wide receiver Santonio Holmes said. "If we maybe run the ball a little more in the last game those big plays open up for us."

Of the Steelers' seven pass plays of 40 yards or more, none have come in the past two games. They tried several against Cincinnati but the only positive yardage they got out of it was one pass interference penalty.

"Minnesota started it," wide receiver Hines Ward said of their Oct. 25 game. "They're a cover 2 team and really don't give up a lot of big plays." Others have followed with that kind of defense, Ward claimed.

Coach Mike Tomlin said the deep passes that Ben Roethlisberger underthrew against the Bengals were not the result of pressure up the middle or anything Cincinnati did to prevent them.

"No, I just think they were misconnects," Tomlin said. "That happens from time to time. I'm sure that Ben will bounce back, as will we."

Roethlisberger had his lowest passer rating of the season, 51.5, against the Bengals.

Kansas City has the NFL's 27th-ranked run defense and the Steelers believe they can get their 17th-ranked run offense finally untracked Sunday.

"That's what our big emphasis is this week, to get some run plays in there," guard Chris Kemoeatu said.

The Steelers ranked only 23rd running the ball last season, their second-lowest ranking since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. They had been doing better this season behind Rashard Mendenhall, but took a big step backward against Cincinnati, particularly in their commitment to the run.

"We definitely have to get better, but for whatever reason it just didn't happen," Ward said. "We're going to stay the course and not hit the panic button. There's still a lot of football left."

Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians has come under heavy criticism from fans as he birthed the Steelers through a new offensive philosophy, basically from a run-dominated team to one that passes more often behind Roethlisberger.

Pittsburgh has a long history of running the ball. Despite Arians directing an offense to a Super Bowl victory, he is perhaps the least popular coach in town. Yet Roethlisberger loves him and it's doubtful Tomlin will make any change there in the offseason.

The Steelers' offense has entered a new world and like it or not, it's one where they will pass more often than run.

SERIES HISTORY: 26th regular-season meeting. Steelers lead series 17-8. They are 9-4 in Kansas City, not counting their loss there in their only playoff game between the teams. Pittsburgh beat the Chiefs 45-7 in their most recent game at Heinz Field in 2006. This will be the ninth time in their past 10 meetings that these teams will play in Kansas City.

Roethlisberger threw one interception and no touchdowns and completed just 20-of-40 for 174 yards in an 18-12 loss to the Bengals. His 51.5 passer rating was his lowest in a full game since a 38.5 rating Oct. 26, 2008, in a 21-14 loss to the New York Giants.

"I hope I don't have too many bad games," Roethlisberger said. "You hope you get one, get it done and get it out of the way and kind of put things in perspective and look forward.

"Actually, at the beginning of the game I didn't feel great, my arm didn't feel good whatever, but the first drive we connected and went down the field, I had a scramble, hit a couple of completions and I kind of thought -- good -- I shook that funk off, but it never quite came around."

Roethlisberger said he did not have a sore or stiff arm and maintains there is nothing wrong with his throwing arm. However, several of his deep passes to rookie Mike Wallace were underthrown.

"No, that's Mike Wallace being real fast and (me) just not being able to step into it or whatever," Roethlisberger said. "That's just another thing, the ball wasn't coming off my hand great."

--Fans have been all over kicker Jeff Reed for missing tackles on two kickoff returns that went for touchdowns against the Steelers this season.

"Man, I am not going to go down to evaluating Jeff Reed as a tackler," coach Mike Tomlin said. "When it comes down to that, we have failed as a coverage unit. I don't lose any sleep on the quality of Jeff Reed's tackles -- or tackle attempts."

--The last time the Steelers played against a Clancy Pendergast-coached defense, they drove 88 yards to victory in Super Bowl XLIII.

"I'm pretty sure he wants to go out and put on a better showing than what they did in the Super Bowl," Hines Ward said.

--PETA gave the thumbs up to the Steelers and Heinz Field this week. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals named Heinz one of the best vegetarian-friendly stadiums in the NFL. The Steelers came in third behind Oakland and San Francisco.

BY THE NUMBERS: 1 -- The number of rushing touchdowns by the Kansas City Chiefs and the number the Steelers rush defense is ranked in the NFL.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I just look at those people like they don't know what they're talking about." -- K Jeff Reed, responding to criticism that he did not try hard enough to make a tackle Sunday on a kickoff return.

PLAYER NOTES

--SS Troy Polamalu did not practice again on Thursday and will not play vs. Kansas City on Sunday. He has a sprained left PCL.

--DE Travis Kirschke did not practice one day after going through a limited practice and is unlikely to play Sunday. Kirschke has missed the past two games with a torn calf muscle.

--RB Willie Parker will get every third series on Sunday if things go according to plan, said Bruce Arians. The Steelers' offensive coordinator admitted that was the plan the past two games, when things did not work out for keeping the planned rotation for one reason or another.

--TE Heath Miller will be used more on passing plays vs. the Chiefs this Sunday. Arians said Miller was kept in to block more often vs. the Bengals and that is why he had only 26 yards receiving, on four catches.

--WR Limas Sweed will dress for his third straight game and has worked his way back into the coaches' favor after three straight weeks of strong practices, Arians noted.

GAME PLAN: The Steelers hope to jump to an early lead and then grind away at Kansas City's 27th-ranked run defense. On defense, they will go after Matt Cassel, who has been sacked 29 times. The Steelers really do not want to give up cheap touchdowns because they believe that is the only way they can lose to the Chiefs. They've allowed touchdown returns of one sort or another in seven straight games.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Chiefs LT Branden Albert vs. Steelers ROLB James Harrison. Albert, a first-round pick in 2008, is struggling. Harrison has nine sacks.

Chiefs KR Jamaal Charles vs. Steelers kickoff team. Pittsburgh's coverage unit has allowed three TDs in the past four games.

Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall vs. Chiefs run defense. Mendenhall, who has 564 yards in the past six games, goes up against the NFL's No. 27 rush defense.

INJURY IMPACT: With Troy Polamalu (knee) out, Tyrone Carter will make his fifth start at strong safety this season. Left DE Travis Kirschke was limited in practice Wednesday but likely will miss his third straight game. Nick Eason replaces him.