09:18 AM EST on Monday, January 17, 2005

BY TOM E. CURRAN
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO -- Back to Pittsburgh. The Patriots will play for the right to go to the Super Bowl next weekend at Heinz Field, home of the top-seeded Steelers, the team that snapped New England's record-setting 21-game winning streak during the regular season.

"We've been looking forward to this ever since they beat us," said safety Eugene Wilson. "We had a lot of guys saying, 'We'll be back,' and it's here. We want a rematch because they're a good team."

The Patriots have a knack for parroting what their head coach says and after Bill Belichick announced in his postgame press conference that, "We're going to play the best team in the league," his players echoed that line.

"They're the best team in the league and we didn't have a good game there," said tight end Christian Fauria. "I think the two teams that should be in the championship game are in there. Unfortunately, we have to go there but we'll see what happens."

The Patriots lost to the Steelers, 34-20. Running back Corey Dillon didn't play that day but the Steelers were so solid, it's hard to determine if he would have made a difference.

"They don't have a lot of flaws in their system," said linebacker Willie McGinest. "They have a lot of good players and they are well coached. We have to go to their house and try and beat them. They are the best team in football."

Dillon, well acquainted with Pittsburgh from his seven seasons with the Bengals, demurred when asked about next Sunday.

"I'm not even answering no Pittsburgh questions," he said. "You want to talk about that, ask Bill."

Light carried heavy load

Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney was a handful yesterday. He finished the regular season with 16 and added one yesterday. All evening, he utilized a devastating spin move to bring pressure on quarterback Tom Brady, but Belichick said left tackle Matt Light played big.

After all, Light was part of an offensive line that allowed the Pats' two running backs -- Dillon and Kevin Faulk -- to run for 198 yards.

Wilson back on solid ground

Eugene Wilson, who hobbled through the latter part of the season with leg injuries, had a very solid game at the back of the New England defense and appeared pivotal in getting coverages straight and communicated. He broke up Indy's best chance to score on a short throw by Peyton Manning from the Pats' 5 with eight seconds left in the half. He nearly intercepted it. "It was ( "It was (Reggie Wayne ) coming on a crosser and basically Peyton stepped up into pocket," Wilson explained. "I thought he was trying to scramble and then he just threw it.

"They (Wilson's secondary mates) blamed me for losing the shutout," Wilson smiled.

Brown makes a call

Troy Brown was asked if he had any insight into why Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt predicted a Colts win on TV last Sunday. "Some people aren't that smart," he said. "They just aren't."

Dillon hands credit to defense

Dillon's 42-yard run in the second quarter was the third-longest in New England playoff annals. When he was told that some defensive players were giving him credit for helping them out, Dillon said, "Are you serious? Did you see the job they did today? I was no part of that. They did a great job. They gave us opportunities and got the ball back for us. I don't want to take no praise away from those guys. They played a (heck of a ) game."

Squib kicks

Colts president Bill Polian fumed throughout most of yesterday's game while seated in the pressbox, but he wailed when the Colts had a first-down completion wiped out by a hold on Willie McGinest in the second quarter. . . . Richard Seymour was the most noticeable inactive player yesterday, his left knee injury keeping him out of action. . . . Yesterday was only the second time this season Indy had been held to three first-half points. The first time was in Tennessee on Sept. 19. . . . New England hasn't lost at home since 1993 with a game-time temperature under 30 degrees. They've also now 20 in a row at home.