Jaguars stun Steelers 45-42 to earn trip to AFC title game

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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles warms up before an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. Photo: Associated Press/AP Photo/John Raoux

WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie running back Leonard Fournette ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns, Blake Bortles added 214 yards passing and a vital fourth-quarter score as the relentless Jacksonville Jaguars stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers 45-42 on Sunday.

The third-seeded Jaguars (12-6) will face top-seeded New England next week in Foxborough, Massachusetts after jumping on Pittsburgh early, then holding on late. Jacksonville raced to a 21-point lead, fended off a Steelers rally and responded every time Pittsburgh (13-4) challenged.

Ben Roethlisberger threw for 469 yards and set a franchise record with five touchdown passes, but was also intercepted once and had a fumble returned for a score. All-Pro Antonio Brown caught seven passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns in his return from a left calf injury. Le’Veon Bell had 155 yards of total offense and two scores.

But Pittsburgh’s vaunted “Killer Bs” couldn’t keep pace with Jacksonville.

For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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