Okay, so you’ve got two teams, the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers, sitting there with a record six Super Bowl rings each. SIX! That’s flat-out legendary. And guess what? They’re about to square off for the 37th time this Sunday at Gillette Stadium. While the series history overall is pretty tight, with the Patriots holding a slim 19-17 advantage, you gotta dive into the details to see the real story: New England has absolutely dominated Pittsburgh since the turn of the century, boasting a wild 14-5 record over their AFC rivals dating all the way back to the 2001 season. Yeah, last year’s 21-14 loss to the Steelers might give them some “theoretical momentum” heading into Foxborough, but the big picture, man, that doesn’t change because of one game.
Playoff Heartbreak and Regular Season Grinds
So, the Patriots might have the overall lead, but dig a little deeper, and it’s clear where each team makes its mark. The Steelers have actually fared better in the regular season, winning 16 of their 31 contests. That’s a solid run. But when the lights get brighter, when it’s win-or-go-home? That’s where the Patriots have been absolute assassins. They’ve met five times in the playoffs, and New England has walked away victorious four times. We’re talking a 28-3 thumping in the 1996 AFC divisional game, and then three AFC Championship Game victories: 24-17 in 2001, a dominant 41-27 in 2004, and a 36-17 smackdown in 2016. Pittsburgh’s only playoff win against them? A 7-6 nail-biter way back in 1997. At home, the Patriots also have the edge, holding a 7-5 all-time record and a sweet 6-2 at Gillette Stadium.
The Day Troy Brown Blew Up Heinz Field
It wasn’t always a party for the Pats, though. The first game between these two in Week 6 of the 1972 season was a total blowout. Pittsburgh hosted New England at Three Rivers Stadium and celebrated a 33-3 victory. The Steelers set the tone right in the first quarter, returning one of Jim Plunkett’s two interceptions 32 yards for a touchdown. Plunkett and his crew turned the ball over four times and gave up seven sacks! A 16-yard field goal in the third quarter was the only thing stopping a shutout. Talk about a rough start to a rivalry.
But man, nothing beats the legend of the 2001 AFC Championship Game. Pittsburgh was supposedly so confident, they had their luggage ready to be shipped to the Super Bowl *before* the game! Whether that’s true or not, it reportedly fired up the Patriots, who were 10-point underdogs. Even after Tom Brady went down with an early ankle injury, Drew Bledsoe stepped up with a touchdown pass to David Patten right before halftime. But the real MVP that day? Troy Brown. He opened the scoring with a ridiculous 55-yard punt return touchdown, and then later, after a blocked field goal, he recovered the loose ball and lateraled it back to Antwan Harris for a 49-yard return touchdown. Four takeaways for the Patriots, and a 24-17 upset that silenced Heinz Field. You just can’t make that stuff up!
This Sunday, it’s not just another game. It’s chapter 37 of an epic football saga, and after the Steelers snagged a win last year, you know both sides are coming in hot. What kind of history will these two titans write next? We’re about to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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