AFC & NFC Championship Game Capsules

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME CAPSULES

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2017

PITTSBURGH STEELERS–AFC NORTH (13-5) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS–AFC EAST (15-2)

SERIES

	STEELERS	PATRIOTS
LEADER	15-14
STREAKS		Past 3
COACHES VS. OPP.	Mike Tomlin: 2-5	Bill Belichick: 12-11
COACHES PLAYOFF RECORD	Mike Tomlin: 8-5	Bill Belichick: 24-10
VS. COMMON OPP.	Pit.: 8-2 (Mia 1-1; Buf 1-0; Cle 2-0; Cin 2-0; NYJ 1-0; Bal 1-1) NE: 8-1 (Mia 2-0; Buf 1-1; Cle 1-0; Cin 1-0; NYJ 2-0; Bal 1-0)
PLAYOFF RECORD	36-23	30-19
LAST WEEK	W 18-16 at Kansas City	W 34-16 vs. Houston
LAST GAME	10/23/16: Patriots 27 at Steelers 16. New England QB Tom Brady passes for 222 yards & 2 TDs. Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount rushes for 127 yards & 2 TDs.
LAST GAME AT SITE	9/10/15: Patriots 28, Steelers 21. New England QB Tom Brady passes for 288 yards & 4 TDs. Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski has 5 catches for 94 yards & 3 TDs.
LAST PLAYOFF	1/23/05: Patriots 41 at Steelers 27. New England QB Tom Brady passes for 207 yards & 2 TDs. Patriots S Rodney Harrison has 87-yard INT-TD.
REFEREE	Terry McAulay
BROADCAST	CBS (6:40 PM ET): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson, Jay Feely (Field reporters). Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Dan Fouts, Ross Tucker (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 81 (Pit), 82 (NE). XM: 88 (WW1), 225 (Pit), 82 (NE).

 

REGULAR-SEASON STAT LEADERS

PASSING	Ben Roethlisberger: 328-509-3819-29-13-95.4	Tom Brady: 291-432-3554-28-2-112.2 (2L)
RUSHING	Le’Veon Bell: 261-1268-4.9-7	LeGarrette Blount: 299-1161-3.9-18 (1L)
RECEIVING	Antonio Brown: 106 (2L)-1284-12.1-12 (T2L)	Julian Edelman: 98-1106-11.3-3
OFFENSE	372.6	386.3
TAKE/GIVE	+5	+12
DEFENSE	342.6	326.4
SACKS	James Harrison: 5	Trey Flowers: 7
INTs	Artie Burns (R), Ryan Shazier: 3	Malcolm Butler: 4
PR	Antonio Brown: 9.3	Danny Amendola: 6.7
KR	Fitzgerald Toussaint: 21.4	Cyrus Jones (R): 22.5
PUNTING	Jordan Berry: 45.6	Ryan Allen: 44.7
KICKING	Chris Boswell: 99 (36/36 PAT; 21/25 FG)	Stephen Gostkowski: 127 (46/49 PAT; 27/32 FG)

NOTES

TEAMS MEET for 5th time in postseason, incl. 3rd time in AFC Championship Game. Patriots defeated Steelers 41-27 in AFC CG on 1/23/05. Pit. leads all-time series 15-14 (incl. playoffs). NE defeated Pit. 27-16 in Week 7 (10/23/16).

STEELERS: Have 36-23 all-time postseason record, most playoff wins all-time. Rank 4th all-time in postseason win pct. (.610). Have won 7 division titles since 2002…Club had 5 players selected to 2017 Pro Bowl: RB LE’VEON BELL (2nd), WR ANTONIO BROWN (5th), G DAVID DE CASTRO (2nd), C MAURKICE POUNCEY (5th) & QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER (5th)…QB Roethlisberger is 3-1 as starting QB in AFC CG. Has 13-6 (.684) career postseason record, 5th highest postseason winning pct. by starting QB (min. 15 starts) in NFL history. Is 1 of 12 QBs in NFL history with multiple Super Bowl wins. Ranks 9th all-time in career pass TDs (301)…RB Bell had franchise postseason-record 170 rush yards last week. Has 337 rush yards in past 2 playoff games, 3rd highest total over 2-game span in single postseason. Has rushed for 1,172 yards (146.5 per game) & 8 TDs in his past 8 (incl. playoffs). Led NFL with 157.0 scrimmage yards per game avg., 3rd highest in NFL history. Ranked 3rd in NFL with 1,884 scrimmage yards (1,268 rush, 616 rec.) & 5th in rush yards (1,268)...WR Brown had 108 rec. yards last week. Has 232 rec. yards & 2 TD catches in past 2. Is 1 of 2 players in NFL postseason history with 100+ rec. yards in 4 consecutive games. Ranked 2nd in NFL with 106 catches & tied for 2nd with 12 TD catches. His 481 receptions in past 4 seasons are most of any 4-year span in NFL history. Is 1 of 2 in NFL history (MARVIN HARRISON) with 4 consecutive 100-catch seasons. Has 5 career seasons with 1,000+ rec. yards, 2nd most in team history…LB JAMES HARRISON has 2.5 sacks & FF in past 2 postseason games. Aims for 5th consecutive postseason game with sack. Has 13 TFL & 8.5 sacks in past 10 playoff games. LB LAWRENCE TIMMONS had 11 tackles in last meeting. Has 4 career seasons with 100+ tackles, 2+ sacks & 2+ INTs, most in franchise history. LB RYAN SHAZIER aims for 3rd consecutive postseason game with INT. Was only NFL player with 3+ sacks (3.5), 3+ INTs (3) & 3+ FFs (3) in 2016. Rookie CB ARTIE BURNS had FR last week. Tied for NFL rookie lead with 3 INTs…K CHRIS BOSWELL made NFL postseason record 6 FGs in Div. Rd.

PATRIOTS: Have appeared in 6 consecutive Conference Championship Games, most all-time. Have won 8 consecutive division titles, longest streak in NFL history. Since 2001, have won 4 Super Bowl titles, most in NFL. Have 30-19 (.612) all-time postseason record, 3rd highest winning pct. in playoff history…Head coach BILL BELICHICK has 24 career postseason wins, most all-time. Has won 4 Super Bowl titles (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX), tied with CHUCK NOLL for most in NFL history…Patriots had 4 players selected to 2017 Pro Bowl: QB TOM BRADY (12th), LB DONT’A HIGHTOWER (1st), S DEVIN MC COURTY (3rd) & ST MATTHEW SLATER (6th)…QB Brady has passed for 3,148 yards (286.1 per game) with 26 TDs vs. 3 INTs for 113.7 rating in 11 career meetings (incl. playoffs). Is 2-0 vs. Pit. in postseason. Ranks 1st all-time in postseason wins (23), passing att. (1,221), completions (756), yards (8,244) & TDs (58). Has 10 career postseason games with 300+ pass yards, most all-time. Has won 4 Super Bowls as starting QB & 3 Super Bowl MVPs, both tied for most in NFL history. Had 14.0 TD/INT ratio (28 pass TDs vs. 2 INTs), highest in NFL history (min. 20 pass TDs.)…In Div. Rd. win vs. Hou., RB DION LEWIS became 1st player in postseason history with rush TD, rec. TD & KR-TD in same game. Had 98-yard KR-TD last week, 1st postseason KR-TD in team history. RB LE GARRETTE BLOUNT rushed for 127 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. Led NFL with franchise-record 18 rush TDs. Has 7 rush TDs in 6 career postseason games. Has rush TD in 5 of past 6 (incl. playoffs). RB JAMES WHITE had rec. TD last week. Tied for lead among NFL RBs with 5 TD catches…WR JULIAN EDELMAN had 8 catches for 137 yards last week. In past 8 playoff games, has 67 catches (8.4 per game) for 744 rec. yards (93 per game) & 2 TDs. Is franchise postseason leader with 76 catches. Has 3 seasons with 90+ catches, 2nd most in franchise history. WR CHRIS HOGAN had 4 catches for 95 yards last week…CB MALCOLM BUTLER had INT & 3 PD in last meeting. Led team with 4 INTs & 17 PD. LB ROB NINKOVICH has 6 career postseason sacks. CB LOGAN RYAN had sack & INT last week. Was only NFL CB with 90+ tackles (92), 2+ INTs (2), 1+ sack (1) & 1+ FF (1) in 2016. S DEVIN MC COURTY had INT in Div. Rd.

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME CAPSULES​

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2017

GREEN BAY PACKERS–NFC NORTH (12-6) AT ATLANTA FALCONS–NFC SOUTH (12-5)

SERIES

	PACKERS	FALCONS
LEADER	17-14
STREAKS	4 of past 5
COACHES VS. OPP.	Mike McCarthy: 4-3	Dan Quinn: 1-0
COACHES PLAYOFF RECORD	Mike McCarthy: 10-7	Dan Quinn: 1-0
VS. COMMON OPP.	GB: 2-0 (Phi. 1-0; Sea. 1-0) Atl.: 1-2 (Phi. 0-1; Sea. 1-1)
PLAYOFF RECORD	34-21	8-12
LAST WEEK	W 34-31 at Dallas	W 36-20 vs. Seattle
LAST GAME	10/30/16: Packers 32 at Falcons 33. Atlanta QB Matt Ryan passes for 288 yards & 3 TDs. Falcons WR Mohamed Sanu has GW TD catch with 31 seconds remaining.
LAST GAME AT SITE	10/30/16
LAST PLAYOFF	1/15/11: Packers 48 at Falcons 21. Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers passes for 366 yards & 3 TDs. Packers CB Tramon Williams has 70-yard INT-TD.
REFEREE	Bill Vinovich
BROADCAST	FOX (3:05 PM ET): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Chris Myers (Field reporters). Westwood One: Kevin Kugler, James Lofton, Tony Boselli (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 81 (GB), 82 (Atl). XM: 88 (WW1), 225 (GB), 82 (Atl).

REGULAR-SEASON STAT LEADERS

PASSING	Aaron Rodgers: 401-610-4428-40 (1L)-7-104.2	Matt Ryan: 373-534-4944 (2L)-38 (2L)-7-117.1 (1L)
RUSHING	Ty Montgomery: 77-457-5.9-3	Devonta Freeman: 227-1079-4.8-11
RECEIVING	Jordy Nelson: 97-1257-13.0-14 (1L)	Julio Jones: 83-1409 (2L)-17.0-6
OFFENSE	368.8	415.8 (2L)
TAKE/GIVE	+8	+11
DEFENSE	363.9	371.2
SACKS	Nick Perry: 11	Vic Beasley Jr.: 15.5 (1L)
INTs	Ha Ha Clinton-Dix: 5	Deion Jones (R): 3
PR	Micah Hyde: 5.8	Eric Weems: 11.4
KR	Ty Montgomery: 20.3	Eric Weems: 23.0
PUNTING	Jacob Schum: 43.2	Matt Bosher: 46.8
KICKING	Mason Crosby: 122 (44/47 PAT; 26/30 FG)	Matt Bryant: 158 (1L) (56/57 PAT; 34/37 FG)

NOTES

TEAMS MEET for 4th time in postseason. Packers lead playoff series 2-1. GB defeated Atl. 48-21 in Divisional playoff on 1/15/11. GB leads all-time series 17-14 (incl. playoffs). Falcons defeated Packers 33-32 in Week 8. 

PACKERS: Have won 13 NFL championships, most all-time. Team’s .618 postseason winning pct. (34-21) is best in NFL history among teams with 50+ games played. This is team’s 32nd playoff appearance, tied for most in NFL history. MIKE MC CARTHY has led team to playoffs in 9 of his 11 seasons as head coach & is 10-7 in the postseason…Packers had 3 players selected to 2017 Pro Bowl: S HA HA CLINTON-DIX (1st), G T.J. LANG (1st) & QB AARON RODGERS (6th)…In past 8 (incl. playoffs), QB Rodgers is 8-0 with 2,384 pass yards (298 per game), 21 TDs & 1 INT for 117.9 rating. Has 100.1 postseason passer rating, 4th best in NFL history. In 6 career meetings, has 1,992 pass yards (332 per game), 16 TDs & 1 INT for 122.2 rating…RB TY MONTGOMERY had 2 rush TDs last week. Has 4 TDs in past 3 on road…WR JORDY NELSON led NFL with 14 rec. TDs & ranked 6th with 1,257 rec. yards. Since 2011 (incl. postseason), ties for 3rd in league with 58 TD catches. Had 94 rec. yards & TD in Week 8. WR RANDALL COBB has 5 TD catches in past 5 postseason games. WR DAVANTE ADAMS has 3 TD catches in 5 career playoff games. Had 12 receptions in Week 8. TE JARED COOK had 6 receptions for 104 yards & TD last week, 1st career postseason TD…LB CLAY MATTHEWS has 11 career postseason sacks, tied for 5th most since 1982. Had 2 sacks in only career playoff meeting. LB JULIUS PEPPERS has 143.5 career sacks, 5th most since 1982. In past 6 postseason games, has 4.5 sacks, 2 FFs & 2 PD. Is only player in NFL history with 100+ sacks & 10+ INTs (11). Has 2 sacks in past 3 meetings. LB NICK PERRY led team with career-high 11 sacks. DT MIKE DANIELS had sack in last meeting. CB DAMARIOUS RANDALL has 2 INTs in past 3 playoff games. S Clinton-Dix led team with 5 INTs…K MASON CROSBY made 2 50+ yard FGs in final 2 minutes of regulation last week, incl. GW 51-yarder as time expired. Is 1st player in postseason history with 2 50+-yard FGs in final 2 minutes of regulation. His 51-yard FG was longest GW FG in NFL postseason history. 

FALCONS: Won NFC South & advanced to postseason for 1st time since 2012. Are 5-3 at home in playoffs in franchise history. Ranked 1st in NFL in total points (540) & 2nd in total offense (415.8 yards per game). Head coach DAN QUINN won 1st career playoff game last week…Falcons had 6 players selected to 2017 Pro Bowl: LB VIC BEASLEY JR. (1st), K MATT BRYANT (1st), RB DEVONTA FREEMAN (2nd), WR JULIO JONES (4th), C ALEX MACK (4th) & QB MATT RYAN (4th)…QB Ryan set franchise record and ranked 2nd in NFL with 4,944 passing yards. Has 6 consecutive 4,000+ yard seasons, tied for 2nd longest streak in NFL history. Led league with 117.1 rating, 5th highest single-season rating in NFL history. In past 3 postseason games, has 984 pass yards (328 per game) with 9 TDs & 3 INTs for 111.9 rating. In past 2 meetings, has 663 pass yards (331.5 per game) with 7 TDs vs. 1 INT for 123.9 rating…RB Freeman had 1,079 rush yards, 2nd consecutive 1,000-yard season. In past 6 at home (incl. postseason), has 10 rush TDs. Had rush TD last week in postseason debut…WR Jones ranked 2nd in NFL with 1,409 rec. yards, 4th season with 1,000+ rec. yards. Has 30 receptions for 372 yards (93 per game) & 3 TDs in 4 career playoff games. Had 11 receptions for 259 yards & TD in 12/8/14 meeting. WR MOHAMED SANU had TD catch last week, 1st career postseason TD. Had 9 receptions for 84 yards & TD in Week 8. WR TAYLOR GABRIEL has 5 rec. TDs in past 7. Had TD in last meeting…DE DWIGHT FREENEY has 10 career postseason sacks, 4th most among active players. LB Beasley led NFL with 15.5 sacks. Has 6 sacks & 2 FFs in past 7 at home. LB DEION JONES (106) & S KEANU NEAL (105) led NFL rookies in tackles. Neal tied for 3rd in league with 5 FFs. CB ROBERT ALFORD tied for 5th in NFL with 19 PD. CB RICARDO ALLEN had INT last week in postseason debut.

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