Two of the NFL’s most storied franchises will meet in Foxborough this Sunday when the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers face off in the AFC Championship.
Steelers vs. Patriots 2017: Time, TV schedule for AFC Championship game
The Steelers and Patriots are tied for the most AFC Championship victories. That won’t be the case after Sunday night.
Both teams boast high-powered offenses, shutdown defenses, star playmakers, and plenty of postseason experience. They’re also tied for the most AFC Championship victories with eight.
Simply put: It’s the playoff game many have been waiting for all postseason.
It didn’t take long after the divisional games for drama to start between these two clubs, either.
Pittsburgh wideout Antonio Brown caught head coach Mike Tomlin referring to the Patriots as “a**holes” while live-streaming in the locker room following the Steelers victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The AFC Championship will also serve as a rematch of a Week 7 meeting in Pittsburgh that saw the Patriots come away with a 27-16 victory. Tom Brady passed for 222 yards and two touchdowns that day, but absent from the game was Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was inactive due to an injury. It severely hindered Pittsburgh’s offense, as running back Le’Veon Bell could only muster 81 yards rushing on 21 carries with backup Landry Jones serving as signal caller.
But the Steelers quickly became one of the hottest teams in the league following Big Ben’s return. They’re currently on a nine-game win streak buoyed by their Killer Bs: Ben, Bell, and Brown.
One of the top wideouts in the NFL, Brown has gone over 100 receiving yards in four of his last five games to go with four touchdowns.
Bell has been even more dynamic over that stretch, averaging 157.6 yards per game with six touchdowns.
Roethlisberger has used both weapons to their full extent, but he has still had a bit of turnover trouble in his last few games. He’s been intercepted three times while only throwing two touchdowns in two playoff games this year.
Meanwhile, Brady, his counterpart on Sunday, has been nothing short of dynamic. He disposed of the NFL’s best defense in the Divisional round by throwing for 287 yards and two touchdowns, battling through two interceptions in that game. Even still, the Patriots kept the Houston Texans at arm’s length all night.
Even with tight end Rob Gronkowski sidelined for the rest of the season, the Patriots have scored at least 25 points in six of their last eight games — including dropping 34 points on Houston last week. And it’s not as if this stage is about to scare off any key components for New England.
Sunday marks an NFL-record 11th appearance in the conference championship for both Brady and Bill Belichick, and there’s no doubt they’ve gotten used to the stage. They are 4-1 at Gillette Stadium in the AFC Championship since 2000 and are making their sixth straight appearance in the conference final.
The Patriots also boast one of the best rushing defenses in the league, giving up just 3.9 yards per carry on average and allowing the fewest rushing touchdowns in the league this year (six).
Both New England and Pittsburgh have 23 takeaways on defense this season, putting an additional emphasis on ball security — as if one was needed at this stage.
Among Brady, Dion Lewis, Julian Edelman, Martellus Bennett, Roethlisberger, Brown, and Bell, there’s more than enough star power on the field Sunday to provide some extraordinary highlights. The winner will move on to the Super Bowl, setting up for a game that will make you regret looking away for even a single down.
How to watch Steelers vs. Patriots
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Place: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
TV: CBS
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson, Jay Feely
Online: CBS All-Access
See More:
