STADIUM: Highmark Stadium
REFEREE: Carl Cheffers
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 2024
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
CBS: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson, Jay Feely
Westwood One: Tom McCarthy, Tony Boselli, Ryan Leaf
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) PIT: 82 or 225 BUF: 158 or 226 National: 88
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY
LEADER: PIT leads series, 15-11
LAST GAME: 10/9/22: PIT 3 at BUF 38
LAST GAME AT SITE: 10/9/22
POSTSEASON SERIES HISTORY
LEADER: PIT leads series, 2-1
LAST GAME: AFC-DIV 1/6/96: BUF 21 at PIT 40
LAST GAME AT SITE: First meeting in Buffalo
Pittsburgh Steelers
Playoff Record: 36-27
Championships: 6 [1974 (SB IX), 1975 (SB X), 1978 (SB XIII), 1979 (SB XIV), 2005 (SB XL), 2008 (XLIII)]
Last Postseason Game: AFC-WC 1/16/22: PIT 21 at KC 42
Buffalo Bills
Playoff Record: 18-20
Championships: 2 (1964, 1965)
Last Postseason Game: AFC-DIV 1/22/23: CIN 27 at BUF 10
HEAD COACHES NOTES: Mike Tomlin vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 5-3 Reg. Season: 173-100-2 (.633) Postseason: 8-9. Sean McDermott vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 3-1 Reg. Season: 73-41 (.640) Postseason: 4-5.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS NOTES:
• STEELERS made playoffs for 3rd time in 4 seasons & secured 20th-consecutive season with .500-or-better record, 2nd-longest such streak in NFL history. Seeking 1st playoff win since 2016. Ranked tied-3rd in NFL with +11 turnover differential this season.
• MIKE TOMLIN makes 11th postseason appearance as HC. Led Pit. to SB XLIII championship in 2008.
• QB MASON RUDOLPH is 3-0 with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 120.4 rating in 3 starts this season. Has won or tied 5 of past 6 starts overall.
• RB NAJEE HARRIS is 1 of 2 RBs (Joe Mixon) with 1,200+ scrimmage yards in each of past 3 seasons. Is the 5th RB since 2000 with 1,000+ rush yards & 7+ rush TDs in each of 1st 3 seasons. Has rush TD in each of his past 3 & 120+ scrimmage yards in each of past 2.
• RB JAYLEN WARREN has career-high 1,154 scrimmage yards (784 rush, 370 rec.) this season & ranked 5th among RBs with 61 catches. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 9 of past 10. Harris (1,205) & Warren were 1 of 2 pair of RB teammates each with 1,100+ scrimmage yards this season.
• WR GEORGE PICKENS set career highs in catches (63), rec. yards (1,140) & rec. TDs (5) this season. Has 125+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. Had 6 catches for 83 yards in the last meeting.
• WR DIONTAE JOHNSON had 5th-straight season with 50+ catches (51) & 4th-career season with 5+ rec. TDs (5) in 2023. Finished season with TD catch in 4 of final 6 games. Had 50+ rec. yards in 5 of 6 road games this season. Had TD catch in last playoff game (1/16/22 at KC).
• LB ELANDON ROBERTS led team with 101 tackles in 1st season with Pit., 2nd-straight 100-tackle season. Has TFL in 2 of his past 3 vs. Buf., incl. playoffs. Has 34 tackles in 11 career playoff games.
• LB ALEX HIGHSMITH had 3rd-straight season with 6+ sacks (7). Has TFL in 2 of 3 career games vs. Buf. Had sack in last playoff game (1/16/22 at KC).
• DT CAMERON HEYWARD aims for his 3rd in row vs. Buf. with FF.
• CB PATRICK PETERSON tied for team lead with 11 PD in 1st season with Pit., 5th-career season with 10+ PD. Has 8 PD & 5 INTs in 4 career games vs. Buf, with INT in each game.
• S MINKAH FITZPATRICK selected to 4th-career Pro Bowl this season.
BUFFALO BILLS NOTES:
• BILLS won AFC East title for 4th-straight season, tied-longest streak in franchise history (1988-91). Ranked 4th in NFL in scoring defense this season (18.3 points allowed per game).
• SEAN MCDERMOTT can join HOFer Marc Levy (11 wins) as only Buf. HCs ever with 5+ playoff wins.
• QB JOSH ALLEN ranked 4th in NFL with 4,306 pass yards this season & tied-5th with 29 TD passes, 4th-straight 4,000-yard season. Tied a single-season record by QB with 15 rush TDs & is 1 of 2 in NFL (Derrick Henry) with 6+ rush TDs in each of past 6 seasons. Passed for 424 yards & 4 TDs in last meeting. Is 4-1 with 13 TDs (11 pass, 2 rush) vs. 3 INTs with 104.9 rating in 6 career home playoff starts. Has 3+ TDs in 3 of his past 4 playoff starts.
• RB JAMES COOK made 1st-career Pro Bowl after ranking 3rd among RBs with 1,537 scrimmage yards in 2023, becoming 1st Buf. RB with 1,500-yard season since LeSean McCoy in 2017. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his past 4 at home. Had rush TD in last meeting.
• RB LEONARD FOURNETTE has 10 TDs (9 rush, 1 rec.) in 9 career playoff games, with TD in 7 of his past 8 playoff games.
• WR STEFON DIGGS led team with 107 catches for 1,183 yards & 8 TDs in 2023 & is 1 of 4 players all-time with 100+ catches in 4 straight seasons. Has 27 catches for 301 yards (100.3 per game) & 2 TDs in his past 3 vs. Pit.
• WR GABE DAVIS had 7 rec. TDs in 2023. Davis & Diggs are 2 of 6 players with 6+ rec. TDs in each of the past 4 seasons. Had 171 rec. yards & 2 rec. TDs in last meeting & has TD catch in each of 3 career games vs. Pit. Has 6 rec. TDs in his past 4 playoff games.
• TE DALTON KINCAID ranked 2nd among rookie TEs with 73 catches & 673 rec. yards. Aims for 3rd in row with 80+ rec. yards.
• LB TERREL BERNARD led team with 143 tackles in 2023, most by Buf. player in single season since 2017. Has sack in 2 of past 3.
• DE LEONARD FLOYD led team with 10.5 sacks, 4th-straight season with 9+ sacks. Aims for 5th in row at home with TFL. Has 5 career playoff sacks, with sack in 2 of past 3 in playoffs.
• DT ED OLIVER had career-best 9.5 sacks in 2023 & finished season with sack in 2 of past 3. Has a sack in 2 of past 3 playoff games.
• S JORDAN POYER had 3rd-career 100-tackle season (101).
• CB RASUL DOUGLAS has 4 INTs since joining Buf. in Week 9.
