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These guys, again? Of course.

It wouldn't be a genuine AFC championship game without the New England Patriots, who are playing at this stage for a sixth straight season. Patriots coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady are aiming for their seventh Super Bowl appearance in this century, after losing to Denver in the AFC title game last January.

In advance of Sunday's game vs. Pittsburgh, a closer look at the Patriots:

Team's theme

Seemingly nothing stops them from winning the AFC East title, claiming a top-two seed in the playoffs and advancing to the conference championship game. The four-game suspension of Brady in the "Deflategate" issue was a minor annoyance to begin the season, and the Pats are back in Super Bowl contention.

How they got here

The Patriots went 14-2 to claim the division championship and earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. They beat Houston 34-16 in the divisional round.

Super Bowl-bound if

The NFL's No. 8-ranked defense, led by two Pro Bowl selections, linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety Devin McCourty, can subdue a Pittsburgh offense that moved up and down the field vs. Kansas City. The Steelers produced just enough points to win via six field goals.

Homeward-bound if

The footballs are properly inflated. That's not fair, although the Patriots have lost three of the past four AFC title games, beating only Indianapolis (45-7) in the "Deflategate" game two years ago. New England could be in trouble if Pittsburgh's pass rush gets to Brady, however.

Biggest variable

Turnovers. New England thrives on takeaways, with a plus-12 turnover margin in the regular season. If the Steelers hold onto the ball, they may have success offensively.

Best player

Brady. That's the traditional answer, but it certainly remains true. Just to frame his value, the Patriots were shut out by Buffalo in the last game of his suspension. New England has lost only once since then, to Seattle.

Best player you've never heard of

Matthew Slater. Or maybe you should know him by now, considering he's an All-Pro selection as a special-teams performer. He's exactly the kind of player the Patriots keep maximizing in a well-defined role.

Local connections

Via trades this season, the Patriots acquired former BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy from Detroit and ex-Utah cornerback Eric Rowe from Philadelphia. They've thrived in New England as situational players. Van Noy backs up Hightower and has been productive. The Patriots have won all eight games with him on the field.

Rowe is the team's third cornerback and has one interception. He's from the Houston area and would love to make a hometown appearance in the Super Bowl. Trevor Reilly, Rowe's former Ute teammate, was a member of New England's practice squad before being signed to Miami's active roster after the Dolphins waived ex-Utah State linebacker Zach Vigil.

Reasons to cheer for them

The Patriots deserve credit for doing this year after year in a league designed to spread the championship opportunities. The 12-team playoff field turns over markedly every season, yet New England is always there. Brady and Belichick can make quarterbacking and coaching history with a fifth Super Bowl victory.

Reasons to cheer against them

The same historic factors that make the Patriots admirable make them tiresome, and so do the questions about their methods.

kkragthorpe@sltrib.com

Twitter: @tribkurt

Preview schedule

Wednesday • Atlanta

Thursday • Green Bay

Friday • New England

Saturday • Pittsburgh