KANSAS CITY, Mo. ? Tyler Palko wasn't even sure how many interceptions he threw Sunday night. At first he guessed it was four, and it might well have felt like it. In reality it was only three.
Perhaps he was counting his fumbled snap, too.
Whatever the case, the journeyman quarterback was responsible for four turnovers that the Steelers managed to capitalize on just enough to eke out a 13-9 victory, which doomed Kansas City to its fourth consecutive loss and kept Pittsburgh in a tie for the AFC North lead.
"When you turn the ball over four times and you're responsible for it, it stings a lot," said Palko, who tossed three picks in his first NFL start last week at New England.
Pressed into duty in place of Matt Cassel, who is out for the year after hurting his throwing hand, Palko may have tossed away his chance to be the starter the rest of the season ? tossed it right to the guys wearing white jerseys on a frigid, blustery night at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chiefs marched across midfield to the Pittsburgh 37 in the closing minutes when Palko dropped back to pass. He was looking for Dwayne Bowe but threw it high and behind him, and Keenan Lewis hauled in the interception with 29 seconds left to seal the outcome.
"I just read the quarterback. I knew I had help underneath, so I could stay back and protect deep," Lewis said. "When the ball came out of the quarterback's hand, I saw that Bowe had already made his move. That's when I knew I could make a play."
The Chiefs claimed former Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton off waivers Wednesday with the intention of having him compete with Palko for the starting job. Orton didn't arrive in town until Friday, though, and he was inactive Sunday night after participating in only one practice.
"He'll have a much better chance this week to compete," Chiefs coach Todd Haley said, "and like I said, Tyler is the starter, but whatever position we say, if someone gives us a better chance to win, that's the guideline we generally follow."
Ben Roethlisberger was 21 of 31 for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Steelers (8-3), whose defense lost All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu to a head injury in the first quarter yet still kept the bumbling Chiefs (4-7) from scoring a touchdown.
Kansas City hasn't reached the end zone since the third quarter against Denver on Nov. 13.
Kansas City led 3-0 in the second quarter when Palko's first interception, which Taylor returned to the Chiefs 8, resulted in a 21-yard field goal by the Steelers' Shaun Suisham.
The second pick was returned by Mundy, who had taken over at safety for Polamalu, to the Kansas City 24. The defense appeared to hold Pittsburgh when Tamba Hali sacked Roethlisberger on third-and-7, but safety Jon McGraw was called for defensive holding to give the Steelers a first down.
Three plays later, Roethlisberger found Saunders in the back of the end zone.
"When you turn the ball over four times, you generally don't have a chance to win," Haley said.
Ryan Succop added a 49-yard field goal later in the second quarter for Kansas City, his second of the game, but Suisham answered with his own 49-yarder on the final play of the first half.
Succop made a 40-yard field goal with 6:11 left in the fourth quarter.
"We're moving the ball and when we get in the red zone we've got to score touchdowns and not just field goals," wide receiver Steve Breaston said, "especially against a team like this."
Polamalu left the game in the first quarter when he tackled 290-pound Chiefs offensive tackle Steve Maneri, who had caught a pass in the flat after lining up in the backfield.
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year's head hit Maneri's knee and he crumpled to the turf, where he lay while trainers came out to check on him. Polamalu was a bit wobbly when he stood up and the team said he was questionable to return with a "blow to the head."
Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey also left in the first half with an illness.
Roethlisberger showed little evidence of the broken thumb that caused him to be somewhat limited in practice, hitting 10 different receivers. He got some help from Rashard Mendenhall, who ran for 57 yards, and a defense that kept giving the Pittsburgh offense prime field position.
"It was a hard-fought game," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "We're excited about winning ? and winning on the road ? and making the necessary plays, particularly defensively down the stretch."
The Steelers squandered a promising opportunity in the first quarter, driving inside the Chiefs 10-yard line. But backup running back Mewelde Moore had the ball poked out by Hali and it was recovered by Javier Arenas in the end zone for a touchback.
Kansas City gave the ball right back when Palko fumbled the snap moments later.
Pittsburgh also had a decent drive end midway through the scoreless third when Roethlisberger underthrew Antonio Brown down the sideline. Kansas City safety Travis Daniels swooped in to make the interception, but the Chiefs' bumbling offense couldn't capitalize.
That wound up being the story of the game.
"No time to sit here and feel sorry for ourselves," Palko said. "All the interceptions are on me, the fumbled snap was on me as well. Any time you have the ball in your hand, you're responsible for it, and I take full responsibility for all four turnovers."
Notes: Kansas native Martina McBride sang the national anthem. Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet, who attended Kansas State, threw the ceremonial first pass. ... Polamalu was experiencing "concussion-like symptoms" and will continue to be evaluated, Tomlin said. ... The Chiefs finished with 252 yards of total offense. ... Thomas Jones had 13 carries for 37 yards for Kansas City.
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