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Top 5 Steelers-Patriots matchups in recent history

Stew Milne / Action Images

The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are two of the most successful franchises in NFL history and will add to their lore during this Sunday's AFC Championship Game.

Despite their excellent pedigrees, the Patriots and Steelers haven't faced off as often as one would think. We recap the five best matchups between the two clubs in recent history.

5. Week 1, 2015

The 2015 regular-season opener also doubled as The Rob Gronkowski Show, as the Patriots tight end torched the Steelers with five receptions for 94 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-21 victory. Tom Brady was also in masterful form, completing 78 percent of his passes, as the Patriots raised their Super Bowl banner.

Although New England was in control from the outset, the Steelers put up a valiant fight, with Antonio Brown notching a touchdown in the final seconds of the game.

4. Week 9, 2013

Though the Patriots' 55-31 win qualifies as a blowout, it was at one point a 10-point game late in the fourth quarter.

In a certified bonanza for fantasy football owners, both Brady and Ben Roethlisberger passed for four touchdowns and at least 400 yards. Gronkowski led the way as a receiver with nine catches for 143 yards and a touchdown. Jerricho Cotchery caught three touchdowns for the Steelers and Aaron Dobson added two for the Patriots.

The difference in the game was on the ground, with Stevan Ridley topping 100 yards rushing and scoring twice, and LeGarrette Blount adding a touchdown of his own.

3. Week 8, 2004

With raw rookie Roethlisberger under center, the Steelers ended the Patriots' record 21-game winning steak at home to improve to 6-1. New England didn't lose again that season.

Big Ben outdueled Brady, with the latter throwing two interceptions, and Plaxico Burress caught two touchdowns in a 34-20 Steelers win. But it was the Steelers' defense that proved to be the difference, as the unit registered four sacks and held the Patriots to a mere five yards rushing.

The two teams would meet again months later in the AFC title game. For more on that, read on.

2. Week 3, 2005

Adam Vinatieri's field goal with one second remaining gave the Patriots a 23-20 win on the road and ended the Steelers' streak of 16 straight regular-season wins. Corey Dillon scored two touchdowns for New England, while Hines Ward caught a pair for Pittsburgh.

The injured Patriots won despite surrendering the franchise's longest pass play in 15 years - an 85-yard Ward touchdown on Roethlisberger's first completion of the game - and committing two turnovers deep in the red zone.

1. 2004 AFC Championship Game

The last time these two teams met in the postseason was as close to a heavyweight fight as you'll see in the NFL. The 15-1 Steelers hosted the 14-2 Patriots, winners of two of the previous three Super Bowls. The difference in their records was a 34-20 win by the Steelers over the Patriots in Week 8.

This time around, the result was a 41-27 Patriots win on the way to the franchise's third Super Bowl title. Brady improved to 8-0 in the playoffs and ended Roethlisberger's magical run of 14 wins in his first 14 NFL starts.

Big Ben threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns, slightly better than Brady's 207 yards and two touchdowns, but the Pittsburgh QB's three interceptions - one of them returned for a touchdown by Rodney Harrison - proved to be crucial in the Steelers' defeat.

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