Roethlisberger: Patriots are 'the dragon and we're trying to slay them'

Ben Roethlisberger is well aware of the task at hand.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are red hot entering Sunday's AFC Championship Game, having won their last nine games dating back to Week 11, but getting a playoff win against the Patriots in New England is about as difficult as it gets.

"It's the championship game," Roethlisberger said Wednesday, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. "You've got one game to get to the Super Bowl. Like I said, you're going up to the lion's den, the dragon's lair. They're the dragon and we're trying to slay them. It doesn't matter who it is, but as I said they're the gold standard."

As is the case with so many playoff matchups, this game could very well be decided by the play of the two superstar quarterbacks. Both have already put together Hall of Fame resumes, and all indications are there's plenty of opportunity to rack up further accomplishments.

But Roethlisberger won't even begin to entertain the idea that he's on Tom Brady's level.

"No, not yet, look at all the Super Bowls he has," Roethlisberger said.

Sunday's game marks the first playoff meeting between the sides since Roethlisberger's rookie season, where the Patriots came away with a 41-27 victory to advance to Super Bowl XXXIX.