Bell rings: Le'Veon Bell has been a catalyst for the offense, especially down the stretch where he has rushed for 1,002 yards in his last seven games played.
A few teammates, who see firsthand what Bell does, weighed in on what makes him is so special.
Maurkice Pouncey:
"He is a great running back with great vision. He finds the lane, has the vision and he makes it happen. When you have a running back like that, it's special and it's fun to play football with him."
Ramon Foster
"Him believing in himself, that guys trusts and trains himself so hard that when he is in a game that is easy to him. The patience that he has, a lot of people don't understand it. But it's his game. I don't think anybody else should mimic it. He is a guy that is a pro at everything he is doing."
Alejandro Villanueva:
"Le'Veon is an unbelievable athlete, a great teammate and he makes a lot of great plays. He makes you look good on the field when you can dodge three defenders and go on a long run. I am really happy for what he has done this season."
Arthur Moats:
"His combination of that patience and burst. Most running backs are not patient like that. It speaks for itself. Most running backs are trying to hit the hole and if they see something cloudy, they are not trying to wait around. As for him, it's like everything is in slow motion. For him to have that kind of confidence in himself, that kind of confidence in his offensive linemen, that makes him that much better.
"Also the work ethic is crazy. He is one of those guys all offseason working out like he has a game on Sunday every week. Seeing the type of drive he has, it's no surprise to see what he does on Sundays."
Ryan Shazier:
"It's amazing watching him. Any time he gets the ball you never know what is going to happen. He is an incredible dude. In my last year in college we played against each other in the bowl game, got drafted here together and now he is unbelievable. Going from seeing Le'Veon weigh 240 pounds to a 225-230 pound Le'Veon, and seeing how his game has transitioned from college to where he is now, is unbelievable. I love everything about Le'Veon, from the way he carries himself, his passion for the game, and his playmaking abilities."
Noise level: The Steelers know they will face a big challenge in Kansas City, not just on the field, but from the home crowd.
"They have great fans, they are loud," said David DeCastro. "That is one of those special stadiums where they take pride in it."
Ben Roethlisberger said the tempo of the game can help to combat the crowd.
"Typically when you go to a no-huddle style offense and you're up-tempo, it's hard for a crowd to stay yelling the whole time, if you can get first downs and go," said Roethlisberger. "And defense, it's hard to substitute, hard to call in your blitz package and things like that. So that's what we've seen in the past, just typically when you run the no-huddle, up-tempo-style offense."
The noise level at Arrowhead Stadium is something the offense is going to have to contend with, but it's nothing new to them.
"I love the crowd at Arrowhead Stadium," said Alejandro Villanueva. "It's a very good venue, just like in Seattle. Hopefully it will bring the best out of all of us. Playing with noise and all that stuff, if you haven't figured those things out by now, then there is something wrong with us. We go on silent count all the time. That's not an issue for us."
And while crowd noise will be something to contend with, for the offense dealing with a swarming Chiefs' defense is an even bigger challenge.
"It's loud," said Marcus Gilbert. "It's the loudest stadium I have ever played in, them and Seattle. And it's a great team. A great defense. It's playoff football. They are really hot. We have to bring the hot hand. We have to do whatever we need to do to get the job done because it's going to be tough."
All hands on deck: Rookie Tyreek Hill is a multidimensional threat for the Chiefs, the team's second-leading receiver with 61 catches for 593 yards, and a team-high six receiving touchdowns. He also is a threat on the ground with three rushing touchdowns, including a 70-yarder.
"He is a guy everybody wants on their team," said Artie Burns. "He is shifty, fast, and explosive. They put him in the backfield, out wide. However they can get him the ball, they try to do it. He has been a big help to him."
Hill led the NFL in punt returns during the regular season with 592 yards, a 15.2-yard average, while adding two touchdowns. He has averaged 27.4 yard on kickoff returns, including an 86-yarder for a touchdown.
He is a player that not just the Steelers' defense is going to have to focus on, but also special teams.
"I don't know that you can kick away from him," said Chris Boswell. "One return man, you have to put the ball in play. It also depends on weather. He is going to return. It's just a matter of covering and tackling."
Hill had a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown called back in the Steelers Week 4 game against the Chiefs, nullified by an illegal block in the back.
"We have to have everyone make sure they hit the tackles and get into their coverage," said Jordan Berry. "We have to be on top of our game."
Shirt off his back: Villanueva launched a new t-shirt this week, 'Big Al's Army,' with 100% of the proceeds benefitting military charities Legacies Alive and Army Ranger Lead the Way Fund. Villanueva is a former U.S. Army Ranger who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan. The shirts can be purchased online.
They Said It:
Burns on the feeling heading into the Divisional Round Game:
"Definitely a different feeling. It's the next round. This is what everybody has been waiting for all season. We keep on climbing the ladder."
Ramon Foster on the way teammates give credit to each other:
"It's a good sign of a selfless team. Everyone is doing their job. I guess they respect what we are doing up front. It's more than just blocking. What we do up front is for them, they make us look good on the back end. Everybody has their hand in the pile right now."
