The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are set to face off in the AFC Championship game on Sunday. Tom Brady and the Patriots are widely considered to be the favorite to win the conference, although Pittsburgh has come through with some big wins in the past.
After watching the Steelers pull out an 18-16 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, there is no question that they will compete with the Patriots. New England took care of business 34-16 over the Houston Texans, although that matchup wasn’t even a test for them. Perhaps the Steelers can catch the Patriots off guard.
That being said, the matchup is intriguing. Pittsburgh’s offense has the potential to give the Patriots’ defense a rough time. Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell are going to get their numbers, although that may not end up being enough when everything is said and done.
The Patriots are heading to familiar territory.
New England sets record for consecutive Conference Championship games in Super Bowl era. pic.twitter.com/3TEjx1Gp2J
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 15, 2017
Brady and the Patriots are out to prove themselves once again this season after the star quarterback had to miss the first four games due to suspension. It was obvious when he came back that this would be a season that he gave everything he had to prove his critics wrong once again.
What bold predictions can be made for the New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game in their AFC Championship matchup this week?
Tom Brady Throws for 350 Yards, Four Touchdowns
Bill Belichick can always depend on his quarterback to come through with big performances in big games. That will be the case this week against the Steelers. Brady will throw for 350 yards and four touchdowns to give his Patriots a good chance to make it to yet another Super Bowl.
Le’Veon Bell Totals 200 Yards, Three Touchdowns
There are not many running backs who are close to the same level as Le’Veon Bell. Only Ezekiel Elliott could be argued as a better running back based on this season. Bell is going to total 200 yards and three touchdowns this week and will wreak havoc on the New England defense.
New England Totals 100 Yards on the Ground
If the Patriots’ offense wants to be running on all cylinders, they will need a solid ground game. LeGarrette Blount, Dion Lewis, and the rest of the running back depth chart will have to step up. New England’s running backs will combine for 100 yards on the ground to take a lot of pressure off of Brady.
Our 36 playoff victories are the most in NFL history. pic.twitter.com/VcjEj38yKp
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 16, 2017
Pittsburgh Sacks Tom Brady at Least Four Times
It is not easy to put pressure on Tom Brady and finish the play off with a sack. Pittsburgh’s defense will find success with that this week and will record at least four sacks on Brady. New England has a talented offensive line, but that will not be enough to hold the Steelers away this weekend.
New England Comes Out with the Win
Even though the Steelers are going to put up a tough fight, the Patriots are still the better team. Brady and company will make the plays necessary to pull out a win and advance to yet another Super Bowl. To those AFC fans who wanted to see a change, that will have to wait until next year.
Expect to see the Patriots win this game fairly convincingly when everything is said and done. Pittsburgh will hang with them for awhile, but the Patriots will pull away in the second half. Once again, the Patriots will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
Do you think the New England Patriots or Pittsburgh Steelers will come away with this win? What are your final score predictions for the game? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
[Featured Image by Elise Amendola/AP Images]
