Thanks in part to frigid temperatures, get-in price to see Steelers-Dolphins is now $30. No regular season game hit that low.
Houses around Lambeau Field charging usual $20 to $40 for parking today, depending on location. This house is preaching an added value.
Want to know how cold it is right now at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh? Read the on-field thermometer. It says 10 degrees. Burrrrrr!
A source tells ESPN's Sal Paolantonio that the Packers expect to have fullback Aaron Ripkowski against the Giants, even though he injured his shoulder in practice on Saturday and was added to the injury report as questionable. Aaron Rodgers told coaches he wants Ripkowski on the field on third down for blitz pickup.
Ben Roethlisberger went 10-2 in his first 12 playoff games. He's 1-4 since and has thrown 1 or 0 TD passes in 4 straight playoff games.
Steelers/Dolphins: Thru 1st 10 weeks of season Pittsburgh had fewest sacks in NFL. From week 11 on They've had the most.
Several Dolphins players and training staff play a group game of catch in the frigid cold of Heinz Field.
Preview: Miami at Pittsburgh.
When: 1:05 PM ET, Sunday, January 8, 2017
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak and tied for the most postseason victories (34) in league history, but they are not focused on their string of successes. Instead, the Steelers will be looking to atone for one of their worst performances of the season when they host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in an AFC wild-card matchup.
Pittsburgh secured the AFC North title and the No. 3 seed in the conference with its strong finishing run, which partly was necessitated by a four-game losing streak that started with a 30-15 drubbing in Miami on Oct. 15. While the Steelers will be at home in the rematch and temperatures are expected to peak at a frosty 20 degrees on Sunday, offensive coordinator Todd Haley did little to douse the revenge angle by proclaiming: "We’re thankful we get another crack at a team that kicked our butts." The Dolphins won nine of 10 prior to a loss to New England in the regular-season finale to nail down their first postseason berth since 2008, but they lost starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill to injury in Week 14 and will be forced to go with veteran Matt Moore versus Pittsburgh. "I feel real good," Moore, who will be making his first career postseason start, told reporters. "It's an unbelievable opportunity. ... This is my second time ever being part of a team that's going to the playoffs, so I'm excited."
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Steelers -11.5 O/U: 47
ABOUT THE DOLPHINS (10-6): No matter who is under center, Miami's game plan figures to follow the blueprint of the mid-October matchup, when running back Jay Ajayi tore through Pittsburgh's defense for 204 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. It was the first of three 200-yard rushing performances this season by Ajayi, which is why Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stressed that Pittsburgh's defense cannot act like his dominant game "was by no means a lightning strike." Moore, who had just 30 pass attempts in his previous four seasons with the Dolphins, put up solid numbers in his three starts (674 yards, eight TDs, three interceptions) and has a trio of talented wide receivers in Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills. Miami's defense ranked 30th against the run (140.4 yards per game) but limited Steelers rushers to 53 yards in the first matchup.
ABOUT THE STEELERS (11-5): Le'Veon Bell ran a season-low 10 times against Miami, but he recorded at least 20 carries in each of his last six games before sitting out Week 17 and was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for December/January after rushing for 569 yards and four touchdowns while catching 18 passes in four games. "This is going to be my first playoff game in my fourth year in the league. I'm going to be pumped, and I need that," Bell told reporters. "I obviously want to go out there and show some people what I can do." Bell is one of two elite weapons for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has two Super Bowl championships on his resume and one of the league's top wideouts in Antonio Brown - the conference leader with 12 touchdown receptions who surpassed 100 catches for the fourth straight season. Pittsburgh's defense led the league with 21 sacks from Weeks 11-16.
OVERTIME
1. Roethlisberger is 11-6 in the playoffs, tied for the seventh-best all-time winning percentage.
2. Landry and Beckham are the only two receivers with at least 80 receptions in each of their first three seasons.
3. Brown has 481 receptions in the past four seasons - the highest total in any four-year span in history.
ATS Trends
OU Trends
Head to Head
When: 1:05 PM ET, Sunday, January 8, 2017
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak and tied for the most postseason victories (34) in league history, but they are not focused on their string of successes. Instead, the Steelers will be looking to atone for one of their worst performances of the season when they host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in an AFC wild-card matchup.
Pittsburgh secured the AFC North title and the No. 3 seed in the conference with its strong finishing run, which partly was necessitated by a four-game losing streak that started with a 30-15 drubbing in Miami on Oct. 15. While the Steelers will be at home in the rematch and temperatures are expected to peak at a frosty 20 degrees on Sunday, offensive coordinator Todd Haley did little to douse the revenge angle by proclaiming: "We’re thankful we get another crack at a team that kicked our butts." The Dolphins won nine of 10 prior to a loss to New England in the regular-season finale to nail down their first postseason berth since 2008, but they lost starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill to injury in Week 14 and will be forced to go with veteran Matt Moore versus Pittsburgh. "I feel real good," Moore, who will be making his first career postseason start, told reporters. "It's an unbelievable opportunity. ... This is my second time ever being part of a team that's going to the playoffs, so I'm excited."
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Steelers -11.5 O/U: 47
ABOUT THE DOLPHINS (10-6): No matter who is under center, Miami's game plan figures to follow the blueprint of the mid-October matchup, when running back Jay Ajayi tore through Pittsburgh's defense for 204 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. It was the first of three 200-yard rushing performances this season by Ajayi, which is why Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stressed that Pittsburgh's defense cannot act like his dominant game "was by no means a lightning strike." Moore, who had just 30 pass attempts in his previous four seasons with the Dolphins, put up solid numbers in his three starts (674 yards, eight TDs, three interceptions) and has a trio of talented wide receivers in Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills. Miami's defense ranked 30th against the run (140.4 yards per game) but limited Steelers rushers to 53 yards in the first matchup.
ABOUT THE STEELERS (11-5): Le'Veon Bell ran a season-low 10 times against Miami, but he recorded at least 20 carries in each of his last six games before sitting out Week 17 and was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for December/January after rushing for 569 yards and four touchdowns while catching 18 passes in four games. "This is going to be my first playoff game in my fourth year in the league. I'm going to be pumped, and I need that," Bell told reporters. "I obviously want to go out there and show some people what I can do." Bell is one of two elite weapons for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has two Super Bowl championships on his resume and one of the league's top wideouts in Antonio Brown - the conference leader with 12 touchdown receptions who surpassed 100 catches for the fourth straight season. Pittsburgh's defense led the league with 21 sacks from Weeks 11-16.
OVERTIME
1. Roethlisberger is 11-6 in the playoffs, tied for the seventh-best all-time winning percentage.
2. Landry and Beckham are the only two receivers with at least 80 receptions in each of their first three seasons.
3. Brown has 481 receptions in the past four seasons - the highest total in any four-year span in history.
ATS Trends
| Miami |
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| Pittsburgh |
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OU Trends
| Miami |
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| Pittsburgh |
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Head to Head
- Dolphins are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
- Underdog is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Preview: N.Y. Giants at Green Bay.
When: 4:40 PM ET, Sunday, January 8, 2017
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Pro Bowl quarterback Aaron Rodgers proved to be a man of his word when he told reporters that the Green Bay Packers were capable of running the table to secure a playoff bid. Six straight wins led to the eighth straight postseason appearance for Green Bay, which looks to remain on the fast track when it hosts the New York Giants on Sunday in an NFC wild-card matchup at Lambeau Field.
"Look, I just talked about running the table and getting into the playoffs. Obviously, it's win or go home at this point. That's the focus," Rodgers, who tossed 15 of his NFL-best 40 touchdown passes during the Packers' winning streak, told reporters. The 33-year-old recorded his second straight four-TD performance in Sunday's 31-24 victory over Detroit, securing the NFC North title for his team and conference Player of the Month honors to boot. While Green Bay has been a staple in the playoffs, New York is making its first postseason appearance since it posted a victory over the Packers in the divisional round of the 2011-12 playoffs en route to upending New England in Super Bowl XLVI. Eli Manning, who has won eight of his last nine playoff starts, completed just 18-of-35 passes for 199 yards in a 23-16 loss to Green Bay on Oct. 9.
TV: 4:40 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Packers -5.5. O/U: 45
ABOUT THE GIANTS (11-5): The flashy Odell Beckham Jr. (NFL third-best 101 receptions for 1,367 yards) and fellow wideout Victor Cruz were quick to dismiss Monday's celebrity-filled off-day trip to Miami as "much ado about nothing" rather than any sort of distraction heading into the playoff game. Beckham had five receptions among his team-high 12 targets and found the end zone in the waning moments of the first meeting with the Packers while Cruz was held without a catch. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after reeling in two of his NFL second-best six interceptions in a 19-10 victory over Washington on Sunday.
ABOUT THE PACKERS (10-6): Jordy Nelson recorded one of his NFL-best 14 touchdowns this season against the Giants, but he was quick to praise his opponents this week. "They've got a great secondary, from the corners and the safeties," he told reporters. "Not very often do teams have both - usually it's one or the other, for the most part. ... It will be a good battle." Randall Cobb won the battle the last time around with nine receptions for 108 yards, and the speedy wideout participated in both practices this week after missing the last two games with a left ankle injury. Fellow wide receiver Davante Adams, who also had a highlight-reel TD grab versus New York in the first meeting, had two touchdowns against the Lions last week and has five scoring receptions in his last five games at home.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Green Bay Pro Bowl S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (team-high five interceptions) has made three picks in four career playoff games.
2. Giants CB Janoris Jenkins, who also is headed to the Pro Bowl, made two interceptions in the first half against the Packers in the first encounter.
3. Green Bay LB Nick Perry registered one of his career-high 11 sacks this season versus the New York.
ATS Trends
OU Trends
Head to Head
When: 4:40 PM ET, Sunday, January 8, 2017
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Pro Bowl quarterback Aaron Rodgers proved to be a man of his word when he told reporters that the Green Bay Packers were capable of running the table to secure a playoff bid. Six straight wins led to the eighth straight postseason appearance for Green Bay, which looks to remain on the fast track when it hosts the New York Giants on Sunday in an NFC wild-card matchup at Lambeau Field.
"Look, I just talked about running the table and getting into the playoffs. Obviously, it's win or go home at this point. That's the focus," Rodgers, who tossed 15 of his NFL-best 40 touchdown passes during the Packers' winning streak, told reporters. The 33-year-old recorded his second straight four-TD performance in Sunday's 31-24 victory over Detroit, securing the NFC North title for his team and conference Player of the Month honors to boot. While Green Bay has been a staple in the playoffs, New York is making its first postseason appearance since it posted a victory over the Packers in the divisional round of the 2011-12 playoffs en route to upending New England in Super Bowl XLVI. Eli Manning, who has won eight of his last nine playoff starts, completed just 18-of-35 passes for 199 yards in a 23-16 loss to Green Bay on Oct. 9.
TV: 4:40 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Packers -5.5. O/U: 45
ABOUT THE GIANTS (11-5): The flashy Odell Beckham Jr. (NFL third-best 101 receptions for 1,367 yards) and fellow wideout Victor Cruz were quick to dismiss Monday's celebrity-filled off-day trip to Miami as "much ado about nothing" rather than any sort of distraction heading into the playoff game. Beckham had five receptions among his team-high 12 targets and found the end zone in the waning moments of the first meeting with the Packers while Cruz was held without a catch. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after reeling in two of his NFL second-best six interceptions in a 19-10 victory over Washington on Sunday.
ABOUT THE PACKERS (10-6): Jordy Nelson recorded one of his NFL-best 14 touchdowns this season against the Giants, but he was quick to praise his opponents this week. "They've got a great secondary, from the corners and the safeties," he told reporters. "Not very often do teams have both - usually it's one or the other, for the most part. ... It will be a good battle." Randall Cobb won the battle the last time around with nine receptions for 108 yards, and the speedy wideout participated in both practices this week after missing the last two games with a left ankle injury. Fellow wide receiver Davante Adams, who also had a highlight-reel TD grab versus New York in the first meeting, had two touchdowns against the Lions last week and has five scoring receptions in his last five games at home.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Green Bay Pro Bowl S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (team-high five interceptions) has made three picks in four career playoff games.
2. Giants CB Janoris Jenkins, who also is headed to the Pro Bowl, made two interceptions in the first half against the Packers in the first encounter.
3. Green Bay LB Nick Perry registered one of his career-high 11 sacks this season versus the New York.
ATS Trends
| N.Y. Giants |
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| Green Bay |
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OU Trends
| N.Y. Giants |
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| Green Bay |
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Head to Head
- Giants are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
- Home team is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.
- Giants are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Green Bay.
Steelers TE Ladarius Green will miss Sunday's AFC wild-card game against the Miami Dolphins with a concussion.
