Running Is Key To Winning The AFC Championship

What’s the key to winning the AFC Championship this Sunday? Some say it will be the team with the better passing game, while others might say the team with the best defense.  But the key to winning the AFC Championship could very well come down to which team has the best rushing game.

With the Jets and Steelers having plenty of game changing players in the secondary, running could very well be the key to winning even though the Steelers and Jets finished first and third, respectively, in rush defense. In their last regular season match up, the Jets ran for 106 yards and the Steelers 146.

The rushing game is key to winning the AFC Championship because the team that successfully runs the ball can control the play clock, setup the play action pass, and minimize turnovers.

Here are some facts about the Jets and Steelers:

Averages Per Game

Jets offensive average: 351 total yards, 202 yards passing and 148 yards rushing per game
Steelers offensive average: 345 total yards, 225 yards passing, 120 yards rushing per game

Jets defense average: 291 total yards, 200 passing and 91 rushing
Steelers defense ave: 276 total yards, 214 passing and 62 rushing

Post Season Trends

The Jets are 2-0 against the spread (ATS), 2-0 ATS away, 2-0 ATS as the underdog and 2-0 as an away underdog.
The Steelers are 1-0 against the spread (ATS), 1-0 ATS at home, 1-0 ATS as the favorite and 1-0 as a home favorite.

Jets and Steelers Regular Season

Matchup	JETS	STEELERS
Wins-Losses	11-5	12-4
Avg Points	22.9	23.4
Avg Points Allowed	19.0	14.5
Home Record	5-3	5-3
Road Record	6-2	7-1
Division Record	4-2	5-1
Conference Record	9-3	9-3

Look for both the Jets and Steelers to dominate the play clock with a game plan that emphasizes the running game.

source: espn.com