Fast Facts: Pittsburgh Steelers (13-5) at New England Patriots (15-2)

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on January 21, 2017

Fast Facts is a weekly series featuring a quick glance at the upcoming Steelers game.

Odds

The opening line has the Steelers as a 6 point underdogs. The over/under is 55.5 points.

Team Records

Pittsburgh Steelers (13-5) at New England Patriots (15-2)

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin

Overall regular-season record: 103-57 (.644)/10th season
Regular-season record with Pittsburgh: 103-57 (.644)/10th season
Playoff Record/Years: 8-5 (.615)/seven years

New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick

Overall regular-season record: 237-115 (.673)/22nd season
Regular-season record with New England: 201-71 (.739)/17th season
Playoff Record/Years: 24-10 (.706)/15 years

Steelers-Patriots History

Series History: Series began in 1972
Overall Regular Season: Steelers lead, 14-11
At Pittsburgh: Steelers lead, 10-7
At New England: Even, 4-4
Neutral Sites: N/A
Streak: Patriots won previous three meetings
Last Regular-Season Meeting: Oct. 23, 2016 in Pittsburgh
New England 27, Pittsburgh 16
Postseason Series: Patriots lead, 3-1
Last Postseason Meeting: Jan. 23, 2005 in Pittsburgh
New England 41, Pittsburgh 27 – AFC Championship
(preseason and postseason record not included in overall series record)

This week’s game will mark the 30th overall meeting between Pittsburgh and New England, including the postseason… the Steelers hold a one-game advantage in the overall series against the Patriots, 15-14, (4-5 on the road in New England)… the two teams have met four times before in postseason history (1-3).

Gameday Information

Date: Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017
Kickoff: 6:40 p.m. ET
Site: Gillette Stadium (66,829) | Foxborough, Mass.
Playing Surface: FieldTurf
TV Coverage: CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play) | Phil Simms (analyst) | Tracy Wolfson and Jay Feely (sideline)
Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network | WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970)
Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) | Tunch Ilkin (analyst) | Craig Wolfley (sideline)
National Radio: Westwood One
Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) | Dan Fouts (analyst) | Ross Tucker (sideline)

By The Numbers

The winner of Sunday’s AFC Championship Game will set an NFL record for the most Super Bowl berths in NFL history.
This is the fifth postseason meeting between the teams and the third in a row that will occur in the AFC Championship Game. New England has won three of the four playoff meetings against Pittsburgh, including the past two to advance to the Super Bowl. The Patriots defeated the Steelers 41-27 in the 2004 AFC Championship Game (January 23, 2005) and 24-17 in the 2001 AFC Championship Game (January 27, 2002). New England won the Super Bowl both of those years.
The Steelers lead the all-time series 15-14 (including the postseason). The Patriots have won the past three meetings, including victories in each of the past two regular seasons. New England knocked off Pittsburgh 28-21 to open the 2015 regular season (September 10, 2015) and defeated the Steelers 27-16 in Week 7 earlier this year (October 23, 2016).
Pittsburgh will play in the team’s 16th Championship Game, the most since the 1970 merger. The Steelers have won eight AFC Championship Games, tied with Denver and New England for the most ever.
Pittsburgh defeated Kansas City 18-16 in last week’s Divisional Playoffs. It marked the Steelers’ 36th postseason victory, the most in NFL history.
Steelers head coach MIKE TOMLIN won his 8th career postseason game and looks to lead the Steelers to the Super Bowl for the third time in his career.
Pittsburgh running back LE’VEON BELL rushed for 170 yards last week and is the first player in NFL history to rush for at least 150 yards in each of his first two postseason games. Bell, who had 167 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the Wild Card win against Miami, has the two highest single-game rushing performances in franchise postseason history.
Steelers wide receiver ANTONIO BROWN had six catches for 108 yards last week against the Chiefs, his fourth consecutive playoff game with at least 100 receiving yards. Brown is tied with LARRY FITZGERALD (four in the 2008 playoffs) for the longest streak of consecutive playoff games with at least 100 receiving yards.
Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER has now won 13 of his 19 career postseason starts and will play in his fifth AFC Championship Game.
Steelers kicker CHRIS BOSWELL made all six field-goal attempts in last week’s win at Kansas City, the most field goals made in a single postseason game in NFL history.
Pittsburgh had five players selected to the Pro Bowl: running back Bell (second), wide receiver Brown (fifth), guard DAVID DECASTRO (second), center MAURKICE POUNCEY (fifth) and quarterback Roethlisberger (fifth).
New England has advanced to its sixth consecutive AFC Championship Game and are the first team since the 1970 merger to advance to six Conference Championship Games in a row.
The Patriots have won eight AFC Championship Games, tied with Denver and Pittsburgh for the most ever. New England is 5-1 all-time in AFC Championship Games played at home.
The Patriots defeated Houston 34-16 last week in the Divisional Playoffs. Patriots head coach BILL BELICHICK and quarterback TOM BRADY have won 23 postseason games together, the most in NFL history by a head coach and starting quarterback combination. In fact, no other head coach and starting quarterback have even participated in that many games together.
Belichick has advanced to 11 Conference Championship Games, the most by a head coach since the 1970 merger.
Brady has 23 career playoff wins, the most by any starting quarterback in NFL history. Brady is also the NFL postseason leader in career completions (756), attempts (1,221), passing yards (8,244) and touchdown passes (58).
Patriots running back DION LEWIS had a 13-yard touchdown reception, a 98-yard kickoff-return touchdown and a one-yard touchdown run in the Divisional Playoffs. Lewis, who was making his postseason debut, is the only player in NFL history to have a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown and a kickoff-return touchdown in a single playoff game.
New England wide receiver JULIAN EDELMAN had eight catches for 137 yards against Houston. Edelman has 76 career postseason catches with the Patriots, the most in franchise history.
Cornerback LOGAN RYAN and safeties DEVIN MCCOURTY and DURON HARMON each had an interception last week against Houston.
The Patriots had four players selected to the Pro Bowl: quarterback Brady (12th), linebacker DONT’A HIGHTOWER (first), safety McCourty (third) and special teamer MATTHEW SLATER (sixth).

Team Rankings

Passing	Ben Roethlisberger: 328-509-3819-29-13-95.4	Tom Brady: 291-432-3554-28-2-112.2 (2L)
Rushing	Le’Veon Bell: 261-1268-4.9-7	LeGarrette Blount: 299-1161-3.9-18 (1L)
Receiving	Antonio Brown: 106 (2L)-1284-12.1-12 (T2L)	Julian Edelman: 98-1106-11.3-3
Offense	372.6	386.3
Pass Yds/Game	262 (5th)	269 (4th)
Rush Yds/Game	110 (14th)	117 (7th)
Points Scored	399 (10th)	441 (3rd)
Points Allowed	327 (10th)	250 (1st)
Take/Give	+5 (9th)	+12 (3rd)
Defense	342.6	368.5
Def. Pass Yds/Game	242 (16th)	237 (12th)
Def. Rush Yds/Game	100 (13th)	88 (3rd)
Sacks	James Harrison: 5	Trey Flowers: 7
INTs	Artie Burns (R), Ryan Shazier: 3	Malcolm Butler: 4
Punting	Jordan Berry: 45.6	Ryan Allen: 44.7
Kicking	Chris Boswell: 99 (36/36 PAT; 21/25 FG)	Stephen Gostkowski: 127 (46/49 PAT; 27/32 FG)
Referee	Terry McAulay