There are many different ways to go about predicting the winner of an NFL game; studying scouting reports, analyzing individual matchups, checking out the football odds, those are just a few of the tools experts use to make their predictions. Those are all fine methods, but I prefer a more modern way, playing the match-up on Madden 2010 and seeing who comes out on top. Here is this week’s game prediction:

Steelers Capitalize on Chiefs Turnovers in Blowout Win

An opportunistic Pittsburgh Steelers team turned three Kansas City Chiefs turnovers into 13 points in the first half on the way to a 26-6 blowout win on Sunday. Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel’s two interceptions and a costly fumble by running back Jamaal Charles led to three scores by the Steelers.

Ben Roethlisberger capitalized on the first Cassel interception, hitting tight end Heath Miller on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The Charles fumble turned into three points, thanks to kicker Jeff Reed booting a 31-yard field goal right down the middle, and Cassel’s second interception resulted in another Reed field goal, this time from 28 yards.

The only Chiefs scoring drives came in the first and fourth quarters when kicker Ryan Succop hit 43- and 29-yard field goals. Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall led all rushers, gaining 130 yards on 26 carries for an impressive 5 yards per carry and a touchdown.

Game Stats

Kansas City Passing:
Matt Cassel 16 of 34 for 162 yards and 2 interceptions

Pittsburgh Passing:
Ben Roethlisberger 19 of 32 for 218 yards

Kansas City Rushing:
Jamaal Charles 12 carries for 43 yards
Kolby Smith 5 carries for 27 yards
Dantrell Savage 4 carries for 19 yards

Pittsburgh Rushing:
Rashard Mendenhall 25 carries for 130 yards and 1 touchdown

Kansas City Receiving:
Chris Chambers 9 receptions for 103 yards
Lance Long 3 receptions for 17 yards
Mark Bradley 2 receptions for 11 yards
Leonard Pope 1 reception for 22 yards
Kolby Smith 1 reception for 9 yards

Pittsburgh Receiving:
Hines Ward 6 receptions for 100 yards
Santonio Holmes 6 receptions for 60 yards
Heath Miller 4 receptions for 37 yards and 1 touchdown
Willie Parker 3 receptions for 21 yards