AFC Championship

Today is the day of the AFC Championship game. My Pittsburgh Steelers play host to the defending Super Bowl Champions New England Patriots with the winner moving onto the Super Bowl. This is a rematch from the 2001 Championship when New England came into Pittsburgh a big underdog and with the help of 2 special teams td’s shocked the Steelers and won 24-17. This year is a bit different. The Patriots have now won 2 of 3 Super Bowls behind Tom Brady. The Steelers have gona 16-1 and are 15-0 behind their rookie qb Ben Roethlisberger. Last week the Steelers got lucky in getting by the Jets and the Pats rolled over those pussy Colts. This game should be a battle. It basically comes down to how well the Steelers can run the ball, somwthing they have done all year so they can avoid having their rookie QB throwing too much. On the otherside the Patriots will try to stop the Steelers run game, make the QB win the game and try to run the ball themselves. These teams met in week 8 and the Steelers crushed New England 34-20, ending their 21 game winning streak. Pitt hasn’t lost since, so they have a 15 game win streak of their own. The Patriots are favored on the road against a 16-1 team who is undefeated at home. The line is 3 points. I think the Steelers will be able to run the ball, they haven’t been prevented from doing it all year. I also think that they will stop the Patriots run game. This game will be tight and a late turnover could decide it, but I like the Steelers here. Yes, they have lost 3 of 4 home championship games in the Cowher era and have a rookie QB leading them, but their defense is excellant, they can run the ball and stop the run and they are home, plus the weather is brutally cold with high winds. Everyone and their mother is jumping on the Patriots a week after everyone jumped on the Colts to beat them, but Pitt isn’t the soft team the Colts are. The Steelers find a way and make enough big plays and force Brady into a couple of mistakes. 17-9 Pittsburgh.