PITTSBURGH (AP) Ben Roethlisberger threw five touchdowns passes for the fifth time in his career and the Pittsburgh Steelers throttled the Kansas City Chiefs 43-14 on Sunday night.
A week after suffering the franchise’s worst loss in 27 years, the Steelers (3-1) responded by overwhelming the erratic Chiefs (2-2).
Alex Smith went 30 of 50 for 287 yards and two inconsequential fourth-quarter touchdowns after things were well out of hand. Spencer Ware ran for 82 yards but also fumbled in the first quarter that kick-started Pittsburgh’s record-setting run. The Chiefs allowed four sacks to a team that came in with an NFL-worst one on the season and could do little right.
Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles ran one time for 6 yards in his first game since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last October. It was perhaps the lone bright spot in a loss that played in stark contrast to a romp over the New York Jets last week in which the Chiefs forced eight turnovers.
Pittsburgh’s 43 points were the most allowed by Kansas City in a regular season game since Andy Reid took over in 2013.
The Chiefs now enter their bye week. Kansas City heads to Oakland on October 18.