The 2018 Nfl Playoffs will resume on January 14 as the remaining eight teams continue their respective championship bids. In the American Football Conference, there is an anticipated rematch between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In Week 5 of the regular season, Jacksonville bested Pittsburgh, 30-9. During that clash, the Jaguars' defense did a great job of stopping Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The veteran threw five interceptions in that contest and got sacked twice. Following the loss, it sounded like he was contemplating about retirement.
Perhaps this was the reason why in a radio interview last week, Roethlisberger expressed his desire to take on Jacksonville once more, this time in the NFL Playoffs. The 35-year-old Steelers superstar got his wish as the Jaguars topped the Buffalo Bills last Sunday in the Wild Card Round to set up the rematch. After the Jags' victory, cornerback A.J. Bouye sent a strong message to Roethlisberger.
Bouye warns Big Ben
In a report by Jacksonville.com, Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback A.J. Bouye warned Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "Be careful what you wish for," Bouye stated.
Bouye also did his best to silence doubters heading into their second game of the 2018 NFL Playoffs.
The one-time Pro Bowler said that the Jaguars are "capable" of repeating the performance they had when they first met Pittsburgh this season.
Despite the Jaguars' triumph in the regular season, they are still considered as the underdogs in their Divisional Round matchup with the Steelers. Roethlisberger and company remain the favorites to enter the AFC Championship Game.
Terrific campaign
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers have had a stellar campaign so far. Early in the regular season, they were still trying to find their rhythm and went 3-2 in their first five outings. But following the defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars, they succeeded in eight consecutive games. The winning streak ended in a Week 15 showdown with the New England Patriots, who like them are favorites to make it to the AFC Championship Game.
Roethlisberger and the Steelers bounced back after this. In Week 16 they blew out the Houston Texans, and in Week 17 they kept the Cleveland Browns winless. These victories helped them capture their 22nd AFC North title and gave them momentum heading into the 2018 NFL Playoffs.