Patriots–Steelers rivalry
New England Patriots
Pittsburgh Steelers
| |
| First meeting | October 22, 1972 Steelers 33, Patriots 3 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | September 8, 2019 Patriots 33, Steelers 3 |
| Next meeting | 2022 |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 33 |
| All-time series | Patriots, 17–16 |
| Postseason results | Patriots, 4–1 List
Patriots 36, Steelers 17 |
| Largest victory | Patriots 34–0 October 19, 1986 |
| Longest win streak | Patriots, 5 Steelers, 5 |
| Current win streak | Patriots, 1 (2019–present) |
| Championship success | |
| Super Bowl Championships (12) | |
The Patriots–Steelers rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two winningest franchises in the Super Bowl era with six championships each, the Patriots and Steelers have played each other intermittently since the 1970s, but the two teams did not become full-fledged rivals until the late 1990s, when they became Super Bowl contenders.
History[]
The Steelers initially dominated the rivalry, winning 10 of its first 13 meetings with the Patriots. But in the 1996 AFC Divisional Round, the Patriots routed the Steelers 28–3 at Foxboro Stadium, ending Pittsburgh's five-game winning streak against New England. It also began a stretch where the Patriots won 14 of the next 20 meetings with the Steelers, including four of five postseason matchups. The Patriots would go on to reach and then lose Super Bowl XXXI against the Green Bay Packers.[1][2][3] The following year, also in the divisional round, the Steelers exacted revenge at Three Rivers Stadium, winning by a 7–6 score to reach their third AFC championship game in four years. This was also the only playoff meeting in which the winner did not eventually advance to the Super Bowl, as the Steelers lost to the eventual champion Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game.[2][3] Earlier that season, the Steelers overcame a 14–0 deficit to beat the Patriots on the road 24–21 in overtime. In that game, quarterback Kordell Stewart managed a game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter culminating in a touchdown to Mark Bruener and a two-point conversion to Yancey Thigpen. In overtime, placekicker Norm Johnson won the game with a 31-yard field goal. The win gave the Steelers a first-round bye and ensured a home game in the divisional round.[4]
In the 2001 season, the Steelers finished with the top seed in the AFC at 13–3. Meanwhile, the Patriots overcame an early-season injury to Drew Bledsoe, and led by then-second year quarterback Tom Brady and coached by Bill Belichick, rallied to finish second at 11–5. The two teams met in the AFC championship game at Heinz Field, and with Bledsoe replacing Brady due to injury, the Patriots upset the Steelers 24–17 and went on to win their first Super Bowl.[2][3]
The 2004 season saw the emergence of Ben Roethlisberger as the Steelers' starting quarterback. En route to a 15–1 season, Roethlisberger and the Steelers ended the Patriots' record 21-game winning streak on October 31, taking home a 31–24 victory. The Steelers entered the AFC championship game having won all 15 games Roethlisberger started in his rookie season. However, the streak ended at home as New England defeated Pittsburgh 41–27 en route to winning their third Super Bowl championship. The defeat also prevented the Steelers from facing their in-state rival Philadelphia Eagles, who had clinched the NFC championship.[2][3]
The Patriots and Steelers would not meet in the postseason again until 2016. Between those playoff meetings, the Steelers made three Super Bowl appearances and won two (Super Bowl XL and XLIII), while the Patriots also made three Super Bowls but won only once (Super Bowl XLIX). Facing each other at Gillette Stadium in the AFC championship game, the Patriots again routed the Steelers 36–17 and went on to win their fifth Super Bowl.[3][5] The Patriots would win their sixth Super Bowl two seasons later, tying the Steelers with the most Super Bowl championships.
Game results[]
| New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Season-by-Season Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1970s (Steelers, 3–1)
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1980s (Steelers, 3–2)
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1990s (Steelers, 6–2)
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2000s (Patriots, 5–2)
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2010s (Patriots, 7–2)
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2020s (TBD)
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Summary of Results
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See also[]
- National Football League rivalries
Notes and references[]
- ^ Austin Murphy/SI. "A Souper Sunday: The Steelers Were in a Fog Against the Patriots, Who Beat Them at Their Own Game". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
- ^ a b c d Bryan DeArdo. "Steelers vs. Patriots history: Six most memorable games ahead of their Week 1 showdown". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
- ^ a b c d e Eric Dockett. "Top 10 Pittsburgh Steelers Rivals of All Time". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
- ^ Bryan Anthony Davis. "Steelers Throwback Thursday 12/13/1997: Mayhem in Massachusetts". SB Nation. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
- ^ Shpigel, Ben (January 22, 2017). "Tom Brady and Patriots Overwhelm Steelers and Advance to Super Bowl LI". The New York Times. Foxborough, Massachusetts. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- National Football League rivalries
- New England Patriots
- Pittsburgh Steelers