Business as usual: It was business as usual at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Monday, and for Steelers' players, that was a good thing.

The Steelers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, so it was 'Victory Monday' for the players, a chance for them to get some much needed rest or come in and workout, get treatment, and get ready for what is going to be a big week as they prepare to take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

"I know this week, it's probably going to be the best week of practice that we have," said Bud Dupree. "I am just feeling it. We are just ready to go play in the championship game."

Rookie Javon Hargrave said he definitely feels the intensity picking up as the team advances in the playoffs, and he likes the progress they have made.

"It's been a journey," said Hargrave. "Just starting back from camp, how far we have come. The adversity we have been through to now, it's been a good ride.

"Everybody doesn't get to these type of games. Coming in my rookie year, it's the standard I am looking towards. It's big game. I am ready to play it."

The players know the challenge they are going to face against the top seeded Patriots, especially playing at Gillette Stadium, and they know mistake-free football is going to be a key.

"The challenge they present is Tom Brady," said Dupree. "He is a great player. He is going to make plays. We just have to put a top on him and try to limit him. You can't stop Tom Brady, we just have to limit him and play mistake-free football."  

He isn't alone in knowing containing Brady is a key. It's the same feeling throughout the entire locker room.

"They have a lot of continuity over there," said Rob Golden. "Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks that has played in the National Football League. At the end of the day we have a hard task at hand and we just have to go out and get the job done."

Be selfish: It's not advice you often hear someone give out, but it's advice that William Gay has shared with his teammates, and they are listening, and it's paying off.

Be selfish.

It's that simple. Harrison has encouraged his teammates to be selfish in that they need to simply focus on doing their job and doing it well.

"He has been saying that all season, but definitely in the playoffs he has been emphasizing just do your job," said Golden. "He said we don't have to do anything else, anything more. If we just do our job we will win the games.

"At the end of the day you have to be selfish to do your job. If you just do your job, the play will come to you. He has emphasized that and it's coming true."

Up and down the locker room, the guys are buying in.

"He is not the captain of the team, but he is definitely the captain of the team," said Golden. "When he speaks, everybody listens. He hardly says a word, but when he does everybody is tuned in."

Rematch time: This will be the third straight postseason game the Steelers are facing an opponent they faced earlier in the season. In the first two weeks of the postseason they had rematches against Miami and Kansas City. This week it's a rematch against New England, who beat the Steelers, 27-16, in Week 7 of the season.

Ramon Foster weighed in on why the Steelers have had success to date when it comes to seeing a team the second time around.

"Understanding of the game," said Foster. "This time of the year too. It's best on best. We are going to get their best. We have to go into their place. They have the advantage there. It's us against them. That's simply what this game is."  

Well deserved: Antonio Brown was named to the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) All-NFL team for the third straight year, and to the PFWA All-AFC team for the fourth consecutive year. In addition Le'Veon Bell was named to the All-AFC team for the first time.

Hello mate: Jordan Berry will have a reunion with his college roommate when the Steelers and Patriots meet on Sunday. Patriots receiver Matt Lengel and Berry both went to Eastern Kentucky, and exchanged text messages after Sunday night's game, along with a third roommate who was in Kansas City cheering on Berry.

"He managed to make it to the Patriots, got his first catch and touchdown a couple of weeks ago," said Berry. "It's going to be fun to play against him this weekend. I haven't seen him in a while. It's going to be fun to see him. It's going to be really exciting. I prefer to be the one that wins, though."