Patriots in the AFC Championship game

The Patriots and Ravens will meet in the AFC Championship game Sunday at Gillette Stadium with a Super Bowl berth on the line. The Patriots are 7-1 in AFC Championships, with their only loss coming in the 2006 season against the Colts. New England is 4-0 at home in conference championship games, 3-0 at Gillette Stadium. Scroll through the gallery to see New England’s complete history.

Jan. 22, 2012: Patriots 23, Ravens 20

The Patriots prevented Baltimore from scoring in the final 30 seconds to hang on for a 23-20 win. Lee Evans (pictured) dropped this pass in the end zone, and Billy Cundiff missed a 32-yard field goal that would have sent it to overtime. It’s better to be good than lucky, but the Patriots were both on this day.

Jan. 20, 2008: Patriots 21, Chargers 12

Randy Moss (left) and the Patriots were 17-0, but Tom Brady was shaky, throwing for just 209 yards and two touchdowns while being intercepted three times. Running back Laurence Maroney ran for 122 yards and a score on 25 carries while San Diego counterpart LaDainian Tomlinson sat on the sideline with an injury.

Jan. 21, 2007: Colts 38, Patriots 34

In possibly the best game of the Peyton Mannng/Tom Brady rivalry, the Colts avenged a conference title game loss three years earlier. It remains New England’s only loss in eight AFC finals. Manning would go on lead Indy to his only Super Bowl crown. After years of dominance by the Patriots, the Colts finally made it a real rivalry as Laurence Maroney (pictured) and his teammates walked off the field in defeat.

Jan. 23, 2005: Patriots 41, Steelers 27

The Steelers came into the game with the NFL’s best record and a 15-game winning streak, but the Patriots left Pittsburgh with a huge win. David Givens (pictured) had this 9-yard touchdown catch, while Deion Branch had four catches for 116 yards. Bill Belichick ran his playoff record to 9-1, tying Vince Lombardi for the best mark in NFL history.

Jan. 18, 2004: Patriots 24, Colts 14

Ty Law intercepted Peyton Manning three times and Rodney Harrison added another pick as the Patriots advanced to their second Super Bowl in three seasons. Jarvis Green (pictured) had three of New England’s four sacks. The Patriots offenswe wasn’t at its best, but Adam Vinatieri made five field goals.

Jan. 27, 2002: Patriots 24, Steelers 17

The Steelers came into the game with a 13-3 record and as 13.5-point favorites, looking poised to cruise into the Super Bowl. The Patriots had other plans, with Antwan Harris returning this blocked field goal for a touchdown to put New England up, 21-3. Drew Bledsoe, entering for an injured Tom Brady, threw a touchdown pass in the second quarter.

Jan. 12, 1997: Patriots 20, Jaguars 6

Drew Bledsoe fumbled twice and threw one interception, but the league’s highest-scoring offense scraped together enough points in frigid temperatures and advanced to the Super Bowl. There was an 11-minute stoppage of play in the second quarter when a transformer blew outside the stadium. Bill Parcells’s defense forced four Jacksonville turnovers.

Jan. 12, 1986: Patriots 31, Dolphins 14

The first AFC Championship game for the Patriots was a successful one. The Patriots scored 24 points off turnovers, threw the ball just 12 times, and ran the ball 59 times. They became the first team to win three postseason games on the road to reach the Super Bowl.