STEELERS VS. PATRIOTS
WHEN: 5:40 P.M. SUNDAY • WHERE: GILLETTE STADIUM, FOXBOROUGH, MASS. TV: CBS • RADIO: 610 AM
The rivalry: The Steelers lead the alltime series 15-14, but they’ve lost three straight and four of five meetings with the Patriots, including a 27-16 loss in Week 7 at home. The Steelers’ last win over the Pats was 25-17 in 2011 at Heinz Field. The Patriots have won three of four playoff meetings, including the only other playoff matchup between QBs Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady — a 41-27 Patriots win in the 2004 AFC Championship Game.
The coaches: Coach Mike Tomlin is 103-57 in the regular season in 10 years leading the Steelers. They won the AFC North this year, giving Tomlin five division titles, two conference championships and a Super Bowl XLIII win. Tomlin has the Steelers in the conference championship game for the first time since 2010. Bill Belichick is 24-10 in 15 career playoff appearances, including 23-9 in 17 years leading the Patriots, who are in the postseason for the 13th time in the last 14 years. He led them to Super Bowl wins in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2014.
How they compare: The Steelers weren’t impressive offensively last week, settling for an NFL playoff record six field goals against the Chiefs, but they rank 10th in scoring (24.9), seventh in yards per game (372.6) and fifth in passing yards per game (262.6) on the season. Defensively, they’re fifth in point differential (4.5), 10th in opponent scoring (20.4) and fourth in red-zone percentage (45.61). Offensively, the Pats are third in scoring (27.6), fourth in yards per game (386.3), and defensively, they lead the league in opponent scoring (15.6) and point differential (11.9).
Plot lines: Tomlin clearly is not a fan of the Patriots. He called them an expletive during a video live streamed by receiver Antonio Brown after the Steelers’ win over the Chiefs.
Lone Star State of mind: Patriots WR/PR Danny Amendola led The Woodlands to its first state championship game in 2003 before playing at Texas Tech. Patriots DT Malcom Brown played at Brenham and Texas, and TE Martellus Bennett — who was drafted by the Cowboys in 2008 — played at Alief Taylor and Texas A&M. Steelers K Chris Boswell, a Fort Worth native, played at Rice.
Trending: Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell is plowing through opponents in the playoffs. He rushed for a team playoff record 167 yards two weeks ago against the Dolphins, then pushed the bar higher with 170 yards on 30 carries last week against the Chiefs, giving him an NFL record 337 rushing yards through two playoff games.
Go figure: The Steelers won a playoff game without scoring a touchdown thanks to a smothering defense and the steady leg of Boswell, who hit from 22, 38, 36, 45, 43 and 43 yards. Brady threw two interceptions against the Texans after throwing only two the entire regular season.
Worth pondering: Which quarterback will get a shot at adding another Super Bowl ring? Roethlisberger has two championship rings, and Brady is vying to be the first quarterback with five.