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The Pittsburgh Steelers had a week to get their minds and bodies right, and during the bye week the team said all the right things regarding their potential opponents coming out of Wild Card Weekend.
While the team said they were focused on themselves, and this likely was true, don’t believe for a second they didn’t hedge their bet on the Jacksonville Jaguars beating the Buffalo Bills and coming to Heinz Field for the second time in 2017.
After the Jaguars beat the Bills 10-3, Alejandro Villanueva told Mike Prisuta of Steelers.com the team had been preparing for the Jaguars throughout the week.
Villanueva said Jax prep started last week: “We sorta assumed, taking our best guess, that they’d win. The coaches have done a great job.”
— Mike Prisuta (@DVEMike) January 8, 2018
It is likely the Steelers revisited the film of their games against other potential opponents, like the Titans and Chiefs, but focused mainly on the Jaguars as the most likely opponent they will face in the Divisional Round of the AFC Playoffs.
The Steelers will have an opportunity to get revenge for the 30-9 beatdown the Jaguars handed Pittsburgh in Week 5 when they came to Heinz Field and did what most thought would be unthinkable at the time, but Jacksonville’s defense and rushing attack is no joke — the Steelers know this.
An extra week of preparation could be just what the doctor ordered, but for fans who think the Steelers will overlook the Jaguars, thinking about the AFC Championship game, after watching film of the Week 5 debacle should certainly get their attention.
The Steelers haven’t lost a home Divisional Round game in the Ben Roethlisberger era, and that is a streak they hope to continue en route to the AFC Championship Game, and Super Bowl 52.