Oct 24, 2015 5 min read

KANSAS CITY – In a league in which everyone is looking for special quarterbacks, today’s game between the Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs will feature a pair of guys named Jones and Smith.

It doesn’t get any more ordinary than that.

While Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith has been just that – ordinary – throughout his career, the Steelers’ Landry Jones was anything but in his first NFL game, a 25-13 Pittsburgh win over Arizona last Sunday.

Entering in the third quarter for injured Mike Vick, Jones completed 8 of 12 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns to help the Steelers improve to 4-2.

Jones, a third-year player, will get a chance today to prove that wasn’t a fluke as he’ll lead the Steelers into Arrowhead Stadium to face the Chiefs (1-5), losers of their past five games.

The Steelers are 2-1 in games played without starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and will get at least one more chance to improve on that record before the quarterback returns next week from a sprained ligament and bone bruise in his left knee.

Roethlisberger is listed as questionable to play today, but Jones’ performance last week after replacing Vick in the third quarter was an eye-opener for the Steelers.

“I know Landry’s a guy, above the shoulders especially, who is very talented,” said Roethlisberger. “He’s a very smart football player who knows his stuff. He’s a guy who even I would have confidence in going up to and asking, ‘What did you see there?’ or ‘What did you think?’ That’s the confidence he showed on the field Sunday. He knows what he’s doing.”

But if the Steelers were to have picked a game for Jones to make his first career start, at Kansas City likely would not have been the one.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin likes to talk about how all road games are played in hostile environments. That wasn’t the case in Pittsburgh’s games at St. Louis and San Diego as both had largely pro-Steelers crowds.

However, counting on Steelers fans to fill Arrowhead Stadium might be a different matter. Like the Steelers, the Chiefs have a rabid fanbase and Arrowhead is traditionally one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL.

“I’ve dealt with noisy environments at Oklahoma, played in some big games where I had to go to a silent snap count,” said Jones. “Not really a whole lot different.”

That will mean plenty of silent counts for Jones and left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, who also will be making his first career start after the Steelers lost starter Kelvin Beachum last week to a torn ACL.

The Chiefs have injury issues of their own. Star running back Jamaal Charles (knee) is out for the season, robbing Kansas City of its primary offensive weapon. Charles scored five touchdowns before being injured two weeks ago. The Chiefs have 12 TDs as a team.

“It’s tough, obviously, because of the type of player he is,” said Smith, who has thrown six TD passes and three interceptions. “He’s a guy the defense is always worried about, run and pass. He’s tough to replace. We have to make some changes.”

Without Charles in a 16-10 loss at Minnesota last week, the Chiefs managed just 57 rushing yards.

Smith has already been sacked 23 times and might be playing without top receiver Jeremy Maclin, who is questionable with a concussion. If Maclin doesn’t play, the Steelers’ defense can focus on stopping tight end Travis Kelce, who has 26 receptions and two touchdowns.

“He’s really good after the catch,” said Steelers safety Rob Golden, who will start in place of injured Will Allen. “We have to focus on tackling him immediately if he does make a catch.”

The Chiefs will face the same task with the Steelers’ Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant. Despite being limited to 11 receptions in three games without Roethlisberger, Brown remains one of the most dangerous receivers in the game. Bryant played for the first time this season against the Cardinals and caught six passes for 137 yards and two scores. Having those two, along with running back Le’Veon Bell, will help Jones.

The most important thing for the young quarterback is obvious.

“Don’t turn it over,” said Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley. “That’s really the key for us. It has been and will be. It is what is giving us a chance these last (four). It has to be No. 1. Regardless of the venue, that has to stay at the forefront.”

Haley was head coach of the Chiefs from 2009 through 2011. … The Steelers are tied for first in the NFL in turnover ratio at plus-6. … Cam Thomas is expected to start in place of injured Stephon Tuitt at defensive end. Tuitt has a team-best 3 1/2 sacks. … Tight end Heath Miller needs one catch to become the second player in Steelers history with 550 in his career. … Pittsburgh activated wide receiver/quarterback Tyler Murphy and put cornerback Cortez Allen on injured reserve.