• New England leads playoff series 3-1, including winning previous two matchups in AFC championship game in 2005 and 2002 played in Pittsburgh. Patriots went on to win Super Bowl both seasons.

• Pittsburgh’s lone playoff win over Patriots was a 7-6 divisional-round victory in 1998 at Three Rivers Stadium.

• New England has won past three meetings overall, including wins in past two regular seasons.

• Only Pittsburgh (15), San Francisco (15) and Dallas (14) have appeared in more conference title games that the Patriots (12).

• Ben Roethlisberger is 3-1 as starting QB in AFC title game. He has 13-6 career postseason record.

• With their win last week over Houston, Coach Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady have won 23 playoff games together, most in league history by head coach and starting quarterback. No other coach-QB combo has even participated in that many playoff games together.

• Belichick has advanced to 11 conference championship games, most by head coach since the merger. Tom Landry is next with 10. With a win Sunday he will pass Don Shula (6) for most Super Bowl appearances.

• Belichick is 11-9 in his career against Pittsburgh, 9-3 as New England’s coach.

• Pittsburgh Coach Mike Tomlin is 2-5 against the Patriots.

• Brady’s 23 playoff wins are most by a starting quarterback in league history. He also is NFL postseason leader in career completions (756), attempts (1,221), passing yards (8,244) and touchdown passes (58).

• WR Julian Edelman has franchise-high 76 career playoff receptions.

• Last week, RB Le’Veon Bell became first player in NFL history to rush for at least 150 yards in each of his first two playoff games.

• LB James Harrison is looking for fifth consecutive playoff game with at least one sack.

• WR Antonio Brown has four consecutive playoff games with at least 100 yards receiving. He’s tied with Larry Fitzgerald for longest postseason streak of 100-yard receiving games in NFL history.

• Pittsburgh has won 12 of 17 playoff games.

• Ben Roethlisberger has played 19 postseason games, tied with Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris for most in team history. James Harrison has played in 18.

• The Steelers are 18-2 when Le’Veon Bell rushes for over 90 yards, including 9-0 this season.

• Since 2013 including the playoffs, the Patriots are 33-4 when Julian Edelman gets over 70 yards receiving.

• New England hasn’t allowed a first-quarter touchdown since Week 10 and just three overall this season.

• The Patriots are 6-0 this year when winning the coin toss

– News service report