Sports

NFL

AFC: Key matchups

By ROGER MILLS
Published January 23, 2005

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COREY DILLON VS. STEELERS LINEBACKERS

In their first meeting, a 34-20 loss in Pittsburgh that snapped the Patriots' NFL record win streak at 21, the Patriots were without the services of running back Corey Dillon.

A critical factor in their offensive arsenal, the bruising veteran running back will play today and likely will carry a solid load.

"You have to account for him," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "He is a great back that we know all so well from playing against him during his years in Cincinnati. We have a lot of respect for him. He just gives them another weapon."

Dillon, of course, is a pretty reliable weapon. This season he rushed for 1,635 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a menace to the Colts in the Patriots divisional playoff win, recording 144 yards on 23 carries.

It means the Steelers linebacking corps of James Farrior, Joey Porter, Larry Foote and Clark Haggans, considered the best group in the NFL, will have to ensure that Dillon doesn't get into the secondary.

"Of course, he's tough, a great runner," defensive tackle Chris Hoke said. "But if we play defense the way we did the last time, it's going to be tough for any back."

KEY STAT

Through 17 games, the Steelers have allowed only one running back to rush for 100 yards. On Oct.3, the Bengals' Rudi Johnson gained 123 yards on 24 carries, but the Steelers still won 28-17.

WHO HAS THE EDGE?

PATRIOTS PASSING VS. STEELERS PASS DEFENSE

Quarterback Tom Brady isn't going to wow any defensive coordinator with his arm, but he is going to give them nightmares with his accuracy. He passed for 3,692 yards and 28 touchdowns and has yet to lose a playoff game in his career (7-0).

EDGE: Patriots

STEELERS PASSING VS. PATRIOTS PASS DEFENSE

It's hard to ignore what Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has done. While throwing for a modest 2,621 yards with 17 touchdowns and 11 picks, the Steelers can hang their hat on one thing: Big Ben is 14-0 as a starter. This is a one-sided matchup, considering the pedigree of receivers Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress and the inexperience of New England's cornerbacks.

EDGE: Steelers

PATRIOTS RUNNING VS. STEELERS RUN DEFENSE

Few teams have been able to run on the Steelers defense all year. So it's hard to imagine that the Patriots - even with Dillon - will have great success today. The Steelers defense finished first overall in the league, allowing 258.4 yards per game. And they did not allow the Jets to score an offensive touchdown last week.

EDGE: Steelers

STEELERS RUNNING VS. PATRIOTS RUN DEFENSE

The Patriots are good in the front seven, but the availability of defensive tackle Richard Seymour could prove a problem. The Steelers are relentless at running the ball and without Seymour at 100 percent, it could be a long day for the Patriots.

EDGE: Steelers

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Steelers showed a sign of weakness on their punt-return coverage unit in the win over the Jets, and it's something the Patriots likely noticed. And as good as Jeff Reed has been, no one should doubt the tradition of clutch kicking by Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri.

EDGE: Patriots

COACHING

One has the personality of a drill sergeant while the other is as charismatic as cardboard. But both Bill Cowher and Bill Belichick know how to win. This is Belichick's third appearance in the AFC title game in four years and he won the other two, including one over Cowher three seasons ago.

EDGE: Patriots

INTANGIBLES

Both teams are unaffected by weather, love to play on grass and want to smash you in the mouth. But the Steelers are playing at home, behind a quarterback who hasn't lost and a coach longing to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1995 season. Add to that the fact that there's actually a chance for an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl (Steelers vs. Eagles), and things are lining up for the city of Pittsburgh.

EDGE: Steelers

WHO HAS THE EDGE/LIGHTER SIDE

STEEL VS. CHOWDER

Look, as much as you might love a bowl of warm chowder on a cold winter day, this is football and you're going to have to go with the Steel City. Melted iron, men in steel-tipped boots, sparks flying from welding machines and hard hats? Now that's playoff football.

EDGE: Steelers

MASSACHUSETTS VS. PENNSYLVANIA

The Red Sox took nearly a century to erase a curse and capture a World Series title in October and the Patriots have designed championship rings in two of the last three years. Face it, the state is on a roll. When did the 76ers win the NBA championship, 1983?

EDGE: Patriots

BRADY VS. BIG BEN

Easy ladies, both young men can find the open receiver and strut their stuff in front of a camera for a GQ layout. Roethlisberger's got that gritty construction worker and bad boy look. Brady has that rugged, preppie image and winning smile.

EDGE: Even.

THE BUS VS. THE STREETCAR

For sake of argument, call Dillon "The Streetcar" for the way he seldom seems to get off track and moves freely through the traffic. Still, you've got to have some love for The Bus, Steelers running Jerome Bettis. He's lovable, laughable and long in the tooth as well. Besides, no one ever sings "The tracks of the Streetcar go round and round, round and round, round and round."

EDGE: Steelers

FEBRUARY VS. JANUARY

Believe in karma? Steelers fans aren't going to like this. There have only been two Super Bowls played in the month of February. Super Bowl XXXVI was on Feb.3, 2002 and Super Bowl XXXVIII was on Feb.1, 2004. The Patriots defeated the Rams in 2002 and then knocked off the Panthers in 2004. Guess when this year's Super Bowl is? That's right, Feb.6.

EDGE: Patriots.

[Last modified January 23, 2005, 00:15:19]

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