Pittsburgh Steelers Hold Off New York Jets 24-19 To Clinch 8th Super Bowl Appearance

The Pittsburgh Steelers did not score a single point in the second half of the AFC Championship game but the 24 points they put up in the first half was enough as they held off a furious New York Jets rally to earn a berth in Super Bowl XLV, 24-19.

The Steelers will be making their third Super Bowl appearance in six seasons and this trip marks the eighth time they’ve reached the Super Bowl in franchise history, tying the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers are 6-1 in their previous seven Super Bowls.

The Jets faced a daunting task trailing by 24 points at halftime but they almost pulled off one of the more improbable comebacks when they cut the Steelers to five with three minutes to play. The Steelers, though, got a great kick return and were able to run out the clock.

For the first time in postseason history, the team of the 1960s (Green Bay Packers) and the team of the 1970s (Steelers) will meet. That game happens in two weeks at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

For more on this game visit Gang Green Nation and Behind The Steel Curtain.

New York Jets Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Score: 24-10, Steelers Lead In 4th Quarter

After falling behind 24-0 in the second quarter, the New York Jets have fought their back into the AFC Championship game and trail the Pittsburgh Steelers by only 14, 24-10. They’ve scored 10 unanswered points, the most recent a 45-yard touchdown from Mark Sanchez to Santonio Holmes, the former Steeler.

This game is very similar to the NFC title game from earlier today. In that game, the Packers jumped out to a lead but then struggled to add any additional points and let the Bears back in the game. The Steelers are in danger of doing that very thing unless they can get back to what was working the first half.

The Steelers were outscored in the third quarter 7-0 and haven’t scored on offense since midway through the second quarter when Ben Roethlisberger took a quarterback sneak into the endzone.

For more on this game visit Gang Green Nation and Behind The Steel Curtain.

New York Jets Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Score: 24-3, Steelers In Control In AFC Title Game

For those of you who can’t wait to know who will be playing the Super Bowl, I have some good news. After a first half that’s been about as one-sided as you could imagine, the Pittsburgh Steelers lead the New York Jets, 24-3.

The Steelers have outgained the Jets in total yards, 231 to 50 and have outrushed them an incredible 135 yards to one. Yes, the Jets have one rushing yard. Also, the Steelers are not interested in sharing the ball as they’ve held it for almost 21 minutes in the first half.

Both teams have turned it over once but the Jets turnover was far more costly when William Gay recovered a Mark Sanchez fumble and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown to give the Steelers a 24-0 lead. The Jets were able to add a field goal just before halftime to cut the lead to 21.

Time for some historical context. Teams are 1-44 all-time in the playoffs when they trail at halftime by at least 21 points. For those Jets fans out there, you’re clinging to the Frank Reich game in 1992 when he led the Buffalo Bills back to beat the Houston Oilers after trailing 28-3 at the half. That’s the one in the 1-44 record.

For more on this game visit Gang Green Nation and Behind The Steel Curtain.

New York Jets Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Score: 7-0, Steelers Leading In 2nd Quarter

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been putting on a clinic in ball control during the first quarter of the AFC Championship game against the New York Jets. They lead 7-0 and have controlled the ball for over 10 minutes. The Steelers took the opening kickoff and moved 66 yards over 15 plays to take the first lead of the game on a one-yard touchdown run by Rashard Mendenhall.

This is a tough game to root for anyone since the Jets are full of brash self-promoters and the Steelers have some unsavory characters on their 53-man roster.

The previous meeting between these two teams was a 22-17 Jets victory at Heinz Field. The winner will get to face the Green Bay Packers – who beat the Chicago Bears earlier today – in Super Bowl XLV in two weeks.

For more on this game visit Gang Green Nation and Behind The Steel Curtain.

NFL Playoffs Schedule: Jets-Steelers AFC Championship Game Time And Weather

The New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers will play the 2011 AFC Championship Game at 6:30 EST in Heinz Field, broadcast on CBS. The NFL made this game your main event, expecting the New England Patriots to be involved instead of a No. 2 and No. 6 seed, but hey look! The NFC Championship Game has the same seeds. (Packers-Bears kicks off at 3 on FOX.)

Jim Nantz and Phil Simms are calling today’s action, and will likely nag each other about each and every thing Rex Ryan or his Jets players do that involves fun. Pittsburgh started the week favored by a token home bump, but is now favored by four. Game time weather will be a glorious 11 degrees with a 40 percent chance of precipitation, and aren’t we all so glad these games aren’t being played indoors in Georgia? No.

The Jets have become road warriors in the last two year’s worth of playoffs, and have already beaten the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Again, expect to hear lots of criticisms of the Jets having fun and praises of the Steelers trying to assassinate people.

Jets fans, visit Gang Green Nation, and Steelers fans, you’re off to Behind The Steel Curtain.

AFC Championship Game Rooting Interests: Jets Or Steelers?

As we did with the NFC Championship Game, it’s time to break down the AFC title game between the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers according to how Georgia each team’s roster is. You obviously have already decided to root for the Jets because you like fun more than you like concussions and assault, but this is still an important exercise.

Former state players

Steelers: four (Hines Ward, Georgia; Keyaron Fox and Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech; Nick Eason, Lyons, GA)
Jets: one (Marcus Dixon, Rome, GA)

Hate to say it as I’m blatantly rooting for the Jets no matter what this formula cranks out, but whether you’re a Dawgs or Jackets fan you’re leaning toward the Steelers over any other team left in the playoffs. Ward is the most noteworthy local product remaining, while Fox is going to play more than the other Tech man, Green Bay’s Morgan Burnett, who is out injured. Dwyer does not play very often.

Former Falcons

Unless I’m totally missing somebody, I do not see any former Falcons on either team’s roster.

Former SEC players

Steelers: nine
Jets: five

You’re telling me the entire AFC Championship Game only has one more SEC player than the Bears roster alone? NORTHEAST MEDIA BIAS. Also, this tally again flouts my decision to root for the Jets regardless.

Former ACC players

Steelers: 10
Jets: five

Again, the math is a strong Pittsburgh fandom indicator here. If only the Jets weren’t lovable and the Steelers weren’t a bunch of headhunters with a deplorable quarterback, all this might’ve actually made a difference.

Jets Vs. Steelers, AFC Championship Game Odds: Pittsburgh Slight Home Favorite

The New York Jets have gotten used to being underdogs on the road, so it’s no surprise the Pittsburgh Steelers are favored in this Sunday’s AFC Championship Game. But with their amazing postseason road record during the Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez era, they’re not underdogs by much.

The Steelers opened the week favored by 3 points, which is now up to 3.5. Ordinarily you’d say this means the teams would be a pick ’em on a neutral field, but Vegas might actually be giving little to no home-field boost to the Steelers. The Jets have already knocked off the Colts and Patriots on the road, after beating the Bengals and Chargers on the road last year.

My pick for this game: take the Steelers to cover. Though I’m rooting for the Jets, I think they won their Super Bowl last week.

The over/under is 38.5 or 39 depending on where you look, much lower than the NFC game despite both of those teams already having played very low-scoring games twice this year. These teams combined for 39 last time, and Vegas just went with that number. I have no advice for you here.

2011 AFC Championship Game: New York Jets Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Well, at least the AFC's No. 1 seed lost, too. The New York Jets upset the New England Patriots 28-21 to rid the NFL playoffs of top-ranked teams and take away the tiniest sliver of embarrassment from the Atlanta Falcons loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Jets get the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game, which will be played at Heinz Field.

The Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens 31-24. Both AFC contests were grueling divisional rivalry games, contrasting sharply with the two NFC blowouts featuring non-division opponents.

Expect this game to be just as familiar, as these two teams played earlier in the year. The Jets won 22-17 in Pittsburgh's ugly weather. As far as rooting interests go, what do we do here? Are we rooting for Hines Ward? Rooting against Ben Roethlisberger? Is this a meteor game?

For more on this game join Gang Green Nation and Behind The Steel Curtain.