***Official AFC Championship Game Thread*** Steelers at Pats

[drobeski 3,061]

Should be a great game 2 high powered offenses and 1 good defense.

Pats cruise into Brady/Belichick amazing 7th super bowl appearance 34-21.

[IGotWorms 3,315]

Gonna be a good one

 

Pittsburgh's D is not great but they can make some plays here and there. Gotta protect the ball if you're the Pats

[Hardcore troubadour 12,647]

Gonna be a good one

 

Pittsburgh's D is not great but they can make some plays here and there. Gotta protect the ball if you're the Pats

Yes, protecting the ball is a good strategy.

[Djgb13 2,338]

The patriots just need to score more points than the steelers do. If they can do that then they have a good shot at winning

[Sho Nuff 719]

Gonna be a good one

 

Pittsburgh's D is not great but they can make some plays here and there. Gotta protect the ball if you're the Pats

Yeah...Dupree (sp?) has been playing well and Harrison is either beating the testers well or just a freak of nature.

 

Pitt has the fire power...but Brady is just too good.

Should be very fun

[posty 2,296]

Go Patriots! F**k the Steelers...

[dain11279 928]

Glad it's the Steelers playing New England and not the Chiefs. KC would've got their asses handed to them.

 

Pats 31

Steelers 27

[MTSkiBum 1,594]

Harrison is either beating the testers well or just a freak of nature.

You can be an athletic stud in your late 30's, just look at bonds and clemens. Neither one of them ever got busted for roids.

[IGotWorms 3,315]

Didn't Harrison already get busted at one point? This one isn't hard to figure out

[Cruzer 1,992]

The Pats are going to have their hands full. If they play like they did last week, Pitt going to Houston.

[TD Ryan2 314]

doesn't NE usually beat PIT... whether it's home or away?

[Djgb13 2,338]

Glad it's the Steelers playing New England and not the Chiefs. KC would've got their asses handed to them.

 

Pats 31

Steelers 27

Agreed. It'll be a more exciting game. KCs offense just seems very vanilla to me. Don't really have too good of players. Their defense was decent and held Pitt to nothing but FGs. However, their offense could not outscore Pitts kicker. That is sad indeed. Should be a better game with Pitt vs NE

[TD Ryan2 314]

Does Mike Tomlin get to trip any players in this one?

That could tighten up the coaching gap here a bit.

[IGotWorms 3,315]

The Pats are going to have their hands full. If they play like they did last week, Pitt going to Houston.

Yep. Pitt will make them pay for all those errors they had in the first half against Houston. Hopefully they got it out of their system

[NEWPOSTERGUY! 266]

HOODIES - 38

 

TOMLIN'S TWATS - 13

 

 

IAMNEWPOSTERGUY1!!11!!1!

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Pats favored by 5.5. I am thinking that they cover.

 

O/U is 51. Take the under.

 

Pats 27-20.

[Cruzer 1,992]

Pats favored by 5.5. I am thinking that they cover.

 

O/U is 51. Take the under.

Expecting bad weather for the game maybe? I'd be tempted to take the over.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Expecting bad weather for the game maybe? I'd be tempted to take the over.

 

Too early to tell, but right now, it looks like we won't have any bad weather for the game. I think that both teams feels that they can run the ball effectively.

[Herbivore 905]

Houston had the best D that the Pats will face. I don't think any else gets the pressure they got. Hard to think the Pats don't break 30. Pats and the over.

[mighty_thor 115]

Random thoughts on the matchup:

Pittsburgh's pass rush has been the best in the NFL over the 2nd half of the season so the Pats offensive line vs steeler pass rush will be a key.

Pats run defense is one the best in the NFL. The overall speed of the New England defense has increased the past couple of years as well which has limited opponents from making the big play. They basically force the opponent to be patient and wait for them to make mistakes. Their only real weakness on defense is getting pressure on the quarterback. Can Big Ben remain patient?

Brady usually comes out on fire after he has a disappointing game and he was pissed about his performance against Houston.

This is one game the Patriots will really miss Gronk. Deon Lewis could make up for the loss of that production. Lewis could expose the lack of speed of a linebacker like Harrison.

Pittsburgh D relies on turnovers to stop opponents. Pats offense turned the ball over less than anybody. They definitely need to play better than they did against Houston though.

The Patriots tend to match up well with the Steelers as their recent records against each other confirm.

 

ETA- I just checked Brady's career stats vs the Steelers: 7 wins 2 losses. averages 314 yards per game, 70% completion percentage, 24 Touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 114.2 Passer rating

[Sho Nuff 719]

Houston had the best D that the Pats will face. I don't think any else gets the pressure they got. Hard to think the Pats don't break 30. Pats and the over.

Sure...though the remaining 3 teams have much better offenses which would not give Brady as many chances or short fields like Houston sucking on offense

[Herbivore 905]

Sure...though the remaining 3 teams have much better offenses which would not give Brady as many chances or short fields like Houston sucking on offense

True, but short fields matter less than pressure on Brady.

[Mike Honcho 4,034]

Should be a great game 2 high powered offenses and 1 good defense.

Pats cruise into Brady/Belichick amazing 7th super bowl appearance 34-21.

 

Considering that it's an annual event, Pats/AFC championship game, maybe you should just make it the "AFC Championship Game Pats vs ?" thread...then you can just bump it each year.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,647]

Pats beat the steelers with Gronk and the steelers didn't have Ben. 27-16 week 7. Game is in NE this time. Edge pats, but not by much.

[Sho Nuff 719]

True, but short fields matter less than pressure on Brady.

Pitt can bring some pressure. GB is inconsistent there for sure.

 

But less opportunity is a big thing. And more pressure on an offense to score to keep up vs the plan vs a team as crappy offensively as Houston.

 

This week should be some great championship games

[TD Ryan2 314]

after watching the kicking games in the GB DAL game, I couldn't help but think about how shaky Gostowski has been thru parts of this season... not sure I'd want this coming down to Gostowski if I'm NE.

 

You want to look at parts of each team that could really blow it in the clutch... Tomlin as HC and Gostowski at K...

 

 

and watching Le'Veon Bell at RB... guy doesn't look like he's doing anything much... just plodding, waiting behind blocks... yeah, he had that one ridiculous spin move... but he doesn't look all that great... and then you look up and he's got 200 yards and 3 scores and you shake your head... and yeah, that must be how the Brady haters feel about TB12 at QB too... doesn't look like much... but he's carving you up.

[FeelingMN 273]

Didn't Harrison already get busted at one point? This one isn't hard to figure out

Right? Player well into his 30s....playing at a high level.....who's already been busted for cheating. Gotta be skirting the rules somehow.

 

[Thornton Melon 544]

after watching the kicking games in the GB DAL game, I couldn't help but think about how shaky Gostowski has been thru parts of this season... not sure I'd want this coming down to Gostowski if I'm NE.

 

You want to look at parts of each team that could really blow it in the clutch... Tomlin as HC and Gostowski at K...

 

 

I'm not worried about Gostkowski at all. Yeah, around mid-season it almost looked like he was developing the yips, but he's pulled himself together.

 

 

Pittsburgh's pass rush has been the best in the NFL over the 2nd half of the season so the Pats offensive line vs steeler pass rush will be a key.

 

 

Now this, I am concerned about. The Pats always struggle against a good pass rush. After Saturday night's game, I was thinking I didn't care who we played in the AFC Championship. While watching the KC-Pitt game last night, I found myself rooting for KC. Alot of the local pundits are saying we got the easier route with the Steelers. I don't think so at all.

[tanatastic 2,061]

Should be a great game. Can never bet against the Pats but steelers could cover.

[rholio 339]

Short answer, Pats.

 

 

Long answer, Patriots win.

[edjr 5,564]

Patriots haven't played anyone this year. After last week, this game scares me.

[drobeski 3,061]

Patriots haven't played anyone this year. After last week, this game scares me.

lots of teams become nobody's after they play the Pats. Arizona is a prime example..a super bowl contender going in, never recovered. The pats devise the game plan that others use.

 

They win big this week.

[IGotWorms 3,315]

lots of teams become nobody's after they play the Pats. Arizona is a prime example..a super bowl contender going in, never recovered. The pats devise the game plan that others use.

 

They win big this week.

Valid.

 

I do worry about Roethlisberger though. And Rodgers or Ryan hopefully after him. They have really not played an elite level QB all year except when they lost to Russell Wilson.

[porkbutt 861]

steelers win big 31-18. tommy has another hissy fit on the ground after he's slightly touched after the play. throws his ugg at the ref and then cries all the way home in his white capri pants

 

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kDq5jVW6--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/18j4zk5gwt0xmjpg.jpg

[parrot 789]

Valid.

 

I do worry about Roethlisberger though. And Rodgers or Ryan hopefully after him. They have really not played an elite level QB all year except when they lost to Russell Wilson.

Have you seen Ben's numbers away from Heinz this year?

Home/Away Att Comp Pct Yds Avg Lng TD Int 1st 1st% 20+ Sck Rate

Home Games 226 160 70.8 1,915 8.5 72 20 5 97 42.9 28 7 116.7

Road Games 283 168 59.4 1,904 6.7 42 9 8 87 30.7 31 10 78.4

[DankNuggs 305]

I didn't want to play the steelers. Most dangerous team in the AFC (sans Pats)... should be able to win it but you never know.

[edjr 5,564]

steelers win big 31-18. tommy has another hissy fit on the ground after he's slightly touched after the play. throws his ugg at the ref and then cries all the way home in his white capri pants

 

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kDq5jVW6--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/18j4zk5gwt0xmjpg.jpg

 

 

Big ben just drills em in the face with the ball

 

 

[listen2me 23 1,542]

lots of teams become nobody's after they play the Pats. Arizona is a prime example..a super bowl contender going in, never recovered. The pats devise the game plan that others use.

 

They win big this week.

So AZ folded and turned into a below average team after losing in week 1.

 

Who else became nobody's?

[drobeski 3,061]

So AZ folded and turned into a below average team after losing in week 1.

 

Who else became nobody's?

Cincinnati and Denver

[Thornton Melon 544]

Pats 30, Steelers 24