Patriots-Steelers News, Notes & Fun Facts
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots and Steelers square off in Pittsburgh this weekend with the top seed in the AFC on the line.
This is the fourth time the two teams will face each other in the last four years, and the Patriots have come out on top in each of those games (including last year's AFC Championship game).
Here's all you need to know heading into Sunday's bit matchup:
- This will be the 31st matchup overall between the Patriots and the Steelers. Pittsburgh leads the regular season meetings 14-11, while the Pats lead the postseason meetings 4-1.
- If the Pats beat the Steelers (or the Bills lose to the Dolphins), they will clinch their ninth straight AFC East crown and 20th division championship in franchise history.
- Tom Brady is 7-2 against the Steelers in the regular season and 3-0 against them in the postseason. He has 29 touchdowns and three interceptions while averaging 294 passing yards in those 12 games against Pittsburgh.
- At 40 years old, Brady is the oldest player in NFL history to lead the league in passing yards. Fran Tarkenton did it in 1978 at 38.
- Brady is 55-11 in the month of December.
- Brady has 55 games with at least three touchdowns and no interceptions, including six against Pittsburgh.
- Rob Gronkowski is coming off of his one-game suspension, and is doing so against a team he's absolutely torched in the past. Gronk has eight touchdowns in five games against the Steelers, including a pair of three-touchdown games.
- Rex Burkhead has scored a touchdown in three straight games. He has five total (four rushing, one receiving) in that span.
- The Patriots have scored in the final minute of the first half nine times this season.
- Since 2000, the Patriots are 46-1 in regular season games when they have a player rush for over 100 yards.
- Ben Roethlisberger is 3-5 against the Pats in the regular season and 0-2 against them in the postseason.
- Antonio Brown has three touchdowns in five games against the Patriots, averaging seven receptions and 91 yards per game.
- Le'Veon Bell has averaged 77.5 rushing yards in his two regular season games against the Patriots, adding another 66.5 receiving yards. But he has yet to score a touchdown against the Patriots in his career.
Tune in to Patriots-Steelers on WBZ-TV — the flagship station of the New England Patriots! Coverage begins at 11:30am with Patriots GameDay, and after the game switch over to myTV38 for Patriots 5th Quarter!
