New England at PittsburghOPENING LINE — Patriots by 2.RECORD VS. SPREAD — Patriots 12-3. Steelers 12-5.SERIES RECORD — Steelers lead 13-7 overall. Patriots lead 2-1 in playoffs.LAST MEETING — Steelers beat Patriots 34-20 on Oct. 31, 2004, at Pittsburgh.LAST POSTSEASON MEETING — Patriots beat Steelers 24-17 on Jan. 27, 2002, in AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh.LAST WEEK — Patriots beat Colts 20-3. Steelers beat Jets 20-17 in OT.PATRIOTS OFFENSE — OVERALL (7), RUSH (7), PASS (11)PATRIOTS DEFENSE — OVERALL (9), RUSH (6), PASS (17)STEELERS OFFENSE — OVERALL (16), RUSH (2), PASS (28)STEELERS DEFENSE — OVERALL (1), RUSH (1), PASS (4)KEY MATCHUP — Steelers LG Alan Faneca vs. Patriots DTs Jarvis Green or Richard Seymour. Steelers had AFC’s top running game in regular season, averaging 154 yards per game, and Faneca is one of the reasons. He anchors a solid offensive line that excels at run blocking. Steelers topped NFL with 618 carries this season, nearly twice their total passes (358, fewest in NFL). Their offense depends on the holes Faneca and fellow first-team All-Pro C Jeff Hartings open up. Seymour, also a first-team All-Pro, missed last week’s game with knee injury and Green took his place. Seymour didn’t practice Wednesday because of a sore knee and is listed as questionable.STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Patriots are 4-0 in AFC Championship games. Steelers are 5-6. ... Steelers host NFL-record ninth conference title game. 49ers have hosted eight. ... Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was unanimous AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Since replacing injured Tommy Maddox in Week 2, Steelers have won all 14 of his starts (he sat in Week 17). In his rookie season in 2000, Patriots QB Tom Brady completed one pass. The following year he replaced injured Drew Bledsoe in Week 2 and led Patriots to 14-3 record in his starts and a Super Bowl title. ... New England RB Corey Dillon missed the Patriots’ loss at Pittsburgh with thigh injury and Patriots gained only five yards rushing. He finished season with 1,635 yards rushing, second most in AFC. ... Both QBs had good regular-season passer ratings (98.1 for Roethlisberger, 92.6 for Brady), but are prone to throw INTs on occasion. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Brady had a 3.0 INT percentage in the regular season, placing 16th out of 33 regular NFL QBs. Roethlisberger had 3.7 INT percentage, ranking 25th out of 33. ... Teams have combined 31 wins, tying record for most in a conference title game (Minnesota 16, Atlanta 15 in 1998 NFC game). ... Against common opponents, Patriots are 8-1, Steelers 9-1 including playoffs. ... Including regular season and playoffs, Patriots have plus-12 turnover differential. Steelers are plus-9.

<b>Atlanta at Philadelphia</b>OPENING LINE — Eagles by 4.RECORD VS. SPREAD — Falcons 8-8. Eagles 10-7.SERIES RECORD — Eagles lead 12-10-1 overall. Tied 1-1 in playoffs.LAST MEETING — Eagles beat Falcons 23-16 on Nov. 2, 2003, at Atlanta.LAST POSTSEASON MEETING — Eagles beat Falcons 20-6 on Jan. 11, 2003, in Divisional game at Philadelphia.LAST WEEK — Falcons beat Rams 47-17. Eagles beat Vikings 27-14.FALCONS OFFENSE — OVERALL (20), RUSH (1), PASS (30)FALCONS DEFENSE — OVERALL (14), RUSH (8t), PASS (22)EAGLES OFFENSE — OVERALL (9), RUSH (24), PASS (7)EAGLES DEFENSE — OVERALL (10), RUSH (16), PASS (12)KEY MATCHUP — Falcons OLB Keith Brooking vs. Eagles RB Brian Westbrook. With star WR Terrell Owens injured, Eagles need to establish a running game and QB Donovan McNabb needs to find other targets downfield. Westbrook helps with both. He was team’s leading rusher (812 yards, 3 TDs) and second-leading receiver (703 yards, 6 TDs) in regular season, behind Owens (1,200, 14 TDs). He was only RB in league with 700 yards in both categories. Last week, he had 70 yards rushing on just 12 carries. As he has all year, Westbrook also lined up at receiver, and caught five passes for 47 yards and a TD. Brooking, a Pro Bowl starter, uses both speed and power on the outside. He’ll need to keep a watchful eye on Westbrook.STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Eagles have lost previous three NFC Championship games. They’re the first team ever to host three straight title games. Overall in NFC Championship games, Eagles are 1-3 with win coming in 1980 season. Falcons are 1-0, having upset Vikings in 1998 season ... Falcons QB Michael Vick set NFL playoff record for most yards rushing in a game by a QB with 119 last week. McNabb is second with 107 in last year’s Divisional playoffs. Both are Pro Bowlers. ... Falcons RB Warrick Dunn has rushed 100 yards in four of his past five games, including 142 last week. ... Atlanta’s defense led NFL with 48 sacks, while Eagles were second with 47. Despite Vick’s elusiveness, Falcons allowed 50 sacks during regular season, fifth-most in league. Eagles allowed 37 sacks. ... Falcons PR Allen Rossum set NFL playoff record last week with 152 return yards on just three punts. He was second in NFL in regular season, averaging 12.4 yards per return. ... With victory Falcons would be third consecutive NFC South team to reach Super Bowl. Panthers did it last year, Buccaneers the year before. ... Against common opponents, Eagles are 4-1, Falcons are 5-1 including playoffs. ... Including regular season and playoffs, Eagles have plus-7 turnover differential. Falcons are plus 3.