Los 40 USA
NewslettersSign in to commentAPP
spainSPAINchileCHILEcolombiaCOLOMBIAusaUSAmexicoMEXICOlatin usaLATIN USAamericaAMERICA

NFL

2018 NFL Divisional Round: 10 fast facts for Steelers v Jaguars

Opta dove deep into the books to find 10 stats for Sunday's NFL playoff between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Update:
2018 NFL Divisional Round: 10 fast facts for Steelers v Jaguars
(Getty Images)

Ben Roethlisberger said he would love to prove the five interceptions he threw against the Jaguars in a 30-9 loss in week five was a fluke. He gets his chance to show just that when the Pittsburgh Steelers face Jacksonville in the NFL AFC divisional round on Sunday.

Jacksonville looked like the better team that week, but after that loss the Steelers won 10 of their last 11 games with the only defeat coming at the hands of reigning Super Bowl champions the New England Patriots on a controversial no-catch call in the final minutes.

The Steelers are good but the Jaguars' defense is more than formidable. Jacksonville cornerback A.J. Bouye warned Roethlisberger to "be careful what he wished for" because the Jags are back to prove what they did was not an accident.

Opta dove deep into the books to find 10 stats for Sunday's game. Here they are: 

Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes (55) and free safety Jordan Poyer (21) chase Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) out of bounds during the second half in the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at EverBank Field.
Full screen
Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes (55) and free safety Jordan Poyer (21) chase Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) out of bounds during the second half in the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at EverBank Field.Reinhold MatayUSA TODAY Sports

JAGUARS AT STEELERS

Pittsburgh have won three of their last four games against Jacksonville, although the Jaguars won their matchup earlier this season – a 30-9 victory. They also won the lone prior playoff meeting between the two sides – a 31-29 triumph in Pittsburgh in the wildcard round of the 2007 playoffs.

— The Steelers are 12-2 all-time at home in the divisional round of the playoffs, the best record in the league (minimum five games). Additionally, they are 5-1 at home in the postseason since the 2008 season, the second-best record in the NFL in that time (minimum five games).

The Jaguars won four road games this season. They claimed five between 2013 and 2016. Jacksonville have lost five of their last six road playoff games, though the one win came in Pittsburgh.

— Pittsburgh scored on 43.0 per cent of its drives this season, the fifth-highest percentage of any team in the league.

Jacksonville had 11 interceptions on the road during the regular season, tied for the second most in the league.

— Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown caught 101 passes this year, his fifth-straight season with at least 100 catches, an NFL record.

— Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles ran for 88 yards in the wildcard game last weekend, becoming just the fifth quarterback since 1999 to rush for more than 70 yards in a playoff game.

Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward had 12 sacks this season, the most he has registered in a single season in his career. He had 10 sacks in his last two years combined.

— Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette had 10 rushing and receiving touchdowns this season. Only one other Jacksonville player had more than three rushing and receiving touchdowns (Marcedes Lewis, five).

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has thrown multiple interceptions in six of his nine playoff games at home in his career.