New England (11-6) at Pittsburgh (11-5)

The facts: 9:30 a.m., Three Rivers Stadium, Channel 4.

Head to head: The Patriots have won five of their last six games, but the defeat left a bitter taste that could finally be sweetened by a victory today. Three weeks ago, with New England leading Pittsburgh by eight points and two minutes to play in the only meeting between the teams this season, Drew Bledsoe threw a pass that was picked off by the Steelers’ Kevin Henry. Pittsburgh scored with 38 seconds to play, added a two-point conversion to send the game into overtime and won, 24-21, on a 31-yard field goal by Norm Johnson.

Story line: A year ago, with Bill Parcells in command on the sideline, Bledsoe in control in the huddle and running back Curtis Martin in high gear in the backfield, the Patriots surprised much of the football world by making it all the way to the Super Bowl.

Now, Parcells is home for the holidays with the New York Jets and Martin is only a longshot to play because of a separated right shoulder and a groin pull.

So that leaves the heavy lifting to Bledsoe, who was never comfortable under the thumb of Parcells. Bledsoe has more freedom under Pete Carroll, Parcells’ successor. This is Bledsoe’s chance to show if he can get as far without his mentor as he did with him.

The Steeler quarterback, Kordell Stewart, also has something to prove. He spent his first two years in the league trying to prove he could play quarterback. Now, he’d like to shake the inconsistency that has often plagued him and prove he can lead a team all the way to Super Sunday.

And like Bledsoe, Stewart may have to do it primarily on his own. Although Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh’s leading rusher with 1,665 yards, is expected to play today, he has been slowed by an injured right knee that has left him limping for the last three weeks.

Keys to the game: For the Patriots, it’s Derrick Cullors.

If Martin doesn’t play, it will be up to Cullors to try to pierce the Steelers’ rush defense, the best in the league.

The second-year man got his first NFL start only two weeks ago in New England’s regular-season finale, gaining 29 yards against the Miami Dolphins. In last week’s playoff opener against Miami, Cullors rushed for 86 yards.

The workload and the pressure on Cullors will increase if Dave Meggett, who shares kickoff return duties with him, can’t play because of a groin injury suffered last week.

If Bettis is ineffective, Stewart can, of course, keep the ball since he runs as well or better than he throws. But the key to the Steeler running game may be the effectiveness of center Dermontti Dawson. Dawson, the anchor of the Pittsburgh offensive line, is nursing a strained calf muscle.

Now you know: When the Patriots beat the Steelers, 28-3, in a second-round playoff game a year ago, Martin ran for 166 yards. In the last four weeks, without Martin, New England has rushed for a total of 252 yards, 108 of those coming in last week’s playoff victory over the Dolphins.

They said it: Bettis, on how effective he’ll be on his sore knee: “I’m not a full bowl of salad.”

The line: Pittsburgh by 7 1/2.