New England and Pittsburgh have met twice this decade in AFC championship games. Their game in Foxborough on Sunday isn’t as critical as those were, but it certainly has serious playoff implications, especially for the Patriots.

New England enters this game at 7-4, a game behind the Jets in the AFC East. If the season ended now, the Patriots would be just behind Indianapolis and Baltimore for a wild-card playoff spot. The season doesn’t end now, of course, but with five games left, every game gets more important.

The Steelers are 8-3, a game ahead of the Ravens in the N...

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