Tom Brady and Bill Belichick could be going to another Super Bowl. (Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports)
After the Packers and Falcons meet in the NFC championship, it will be the Patriots and Steelers facing off at Gillette Stadium in the AFC championship. The two teams already met once this year in Week 7 with the Patriots coming out on top in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers were without Ben Roethlisberger. These were the two teams many expected to see in the AFC title game, and here we are.
Since it is the playoffs, here are 20 things to know heading into the matchup.
(As always, thanks to the Patriots media relations staff for the help with some of these from this week’€™€™€™€™€™s media guide.)
1. With a win, the Patriots will reach the Super Bowl for a ninth time, which would break a tie with Dallas, Denver and Pittsburgh for the most Super Bowl berths in NFL history.
2. Also with a win, Bill Belichick will pass Don Shula (6) for most Super Bowl appearances of all-time.
3. Tom Brady has owned the Steelers at home. In four games he is 4-0, 109-for-154 (71 percent) passing for 1,413 yards with 15 touchdowns and no interceptions.
4. The Patriots have faced seven running backs who were in the top 10 in rushing this season and didn’t allow any of them to rush for over 100 yards. Overall, they haven’t allowed a rusher to gain 90 or more yards in any of their past 24 games. When allowing a 100-yard rusher in the postseason the Patriots are 4-5 in their history.
5. On the other side of the field, over the course of Le’Veon Bell’s career the Steelers are 18-2 when he goes over 90 yards, including a perfect 9-0 this season.
6. Since 2013 including the playoffs, the Patriots are 33-4 when Julian Edelman goes over 70 yards receiving. (He has in nine straight games.)
7. With 34 yards receiving Edelman will pass Deion Branch (852) for the most receiving yards in Patriots playoff history.
8. In the last two games against the Steelers, Brady is 20-for-22 with 157 yards when throwing to Edelman.
9. Since 2004 including the playoffs, Brady has had just two consecutive games of throwing multiple interceptions.
10. The Steelers are 42-6 since the beginning of 2014 when scoring 18 or more points, which includes the playoffs.
11. According to Football Perspective, since 2001 the Patriots are 100-1 in home games when leading at halftime. The only time they lost was the AFC championship game against the Ravens four years ago.
12. Also per Football Perspective, the Patriots have won 104 straight home games when leading after three quarters.
13. In Brady’s last 42 home games against AFC opponents (including postseason), he is 40-2 with a QB rating of 103.2.
14. Roethlisberger has thrown at least one interception in five straight games against the Patriots. New England is 20-1 in the postseason when winning the turnover battle.
15. This might not be as high scoring as some may think. Since Week 10, the Steelers are allowing 16.5 points per game, along with 287.4 yards per game, while the Patriots are allowing 12.9 points per game with 281.9 yards per game.
16. New England hasn’t allowed a first quarter touchdown since Week 10 against the Seahawks. Overall, its allowed three first quarter touchdowns this season and have the best first quarter defense in the NFL, allowing just 2.1 first quarter points this year.
17. The Patriots are 6-0 this year when winning the coin toss.
18. Against Mike Tomlin either as a coach or defensive coordinator, Brady is 5-1 with a 70.5 completion percentage with 23 touchdowns and one interception for a 125.5 QB rating.
19. Since 2010, including the postseason the Patriots are 56-10 when scoring first.
20. The magic number is 23. Including the playoffs, New England is 177-15 when scoring 23 or more points under Belichick.