Ben Roethlisberger Has 5 TD Passes, Le’Veon Bell Shines In Steelers’ 43-14 Rout Of Chiefs

Ben Roethlisberger threw five touchdown passes for the fifth time in his career and Le’Veon Bell racked up 178 yards of total offense to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 43-14 home thrashing of the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.

Ben Roethlisberger Has 5 TD Passes, Le’Veon Bell Shines In Steelers’ 43-14 Rout Of Chiefs

Roethlisberger connected with wide receiver Antonio Brown– who wore cleats featuring the profile of late golf legend and western Pennsylvania native Arnold Palmer– for two touchdowns.

The Steelers (3-1) quarterback also hit Markus Wheaton, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Jesse James for scores as Pittsburgh rebounded from last week’s 31-point meltdown (34-3) in Philadelphia, the Steelers’ worst loss in 27 years.

Roethlisberger, known as ‘Big Ben,’ finished 22 of 27 for 300 yards and a rating of 152.5, just shy of a perfect 158.3 rating.

Bell ran for 144 yards on 18 carries–including a 44-yard zig-zag in the fourth quarter that showcased the running back’s supreme agility– and caught five passes for 34 yards in his return from a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

“I was in the flow of the game,” Bell said. “I wasn’t even thinking about (being rusty).'”

Brown praised his teammate for consistently pressing the Chiefs (2-2) defense.

It’s the ‘Juice,'” Brown said. “Anytime we have Le’Veon out there on the field, we know the problems he’s going to present to the defense.”

Bell, an All-Pro in 2014, also missed the second half of 2015 with with a torn MCL in his right knee.

“We asked him to do a lot,” Roethlisberger said of the 24-year-old pass rusher. “Not just be a running back and run the ball. But we put him in motion. We put him at wide receiver. We threw screens to him. We did a lot. And that’s the confidence and faith we have in him and his ability.”

The Steelers scored a franchise-record 22 points in the first quarter as their defense forced a pair of turnovers that Roethlisberger quickly converted into touchdowns. Pittsburgh reached the end zone three times in a span of six offesnive snaps in the quarter and added a  two-point conversion while the Chiefs struggled in the rain.

Kansas City’s Alex Smith finished 30 of 50 for 287 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns that came after the game was clearly the Steelers’ for the taking. Spencer Ware ran for 82 yards, but also fumbled in the first quarter that kick-started the Steelers’ record-setting run. The Chiefs allowed four sacks to a team that entered with an NFL-worst one on the season and appeared unable to do much right.

Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles ran one time for 6 yards in his first game since tearing the ACL in his right knee last October.

With the win, the Steelers handed the Chiefs their worst setback since coach Andy Reid took over in 2013.

The Steelers next host the New York Jets on Sunday, while the Chiefs have a bye week, and will then visit the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 16 for Week 6.

PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 02: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers hands off to Le’Veon Bell #26 in the second half during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field on October 2, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)