The Latest: Steelers close within 28-21 of Jaguars

The Latest on the NFL playoffs on divisional weekend (all times EST):

3:20 p.m.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are trying to hold on against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The upstart Jaguars hold a 28-21 lead going into the fourth quarter at chilly Heinz Field. Jacksonville led by 21 points in the second quarter after a 48-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Telvin Smith but Pittsburgh has responded behind quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger has thrown for 258 yards and three scores through three quarters. Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell has 116 yards and a score for the Steelers.

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3 p.m.

Ben Roethlisberger is heating up and the Pittsburgh Steelers are back in it against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Roethlisberger hit a diving Le’Veon Bell for a 19-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter to pull the Steelers within 28-21 of the Jaguars in their divisional round showdown.

The touchdown was Roethlisberger’s third of the game. He’s also thrown an interception that led to a Jacksonville score and had a fumble returned for a touchdown.

The Steelers trailed by 21 points late in the first half. The biggest playoff comeback in franchise history came 15 years ago when they rallied from 17 down to beat Cleveland in the wild-card round.

Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette returned in the second half after leaving in the second quarter with an ankle injury.

– Will Graves reporting from Pittsburgh

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2:35 p.m.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are 30 minutes from a trip to New England for the AFC championship game.

Leonard Fournette ran for a pair of touchdowns and the upstart Jaguars have a 28-14 lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers at halftime of their divisional round showdown before leaving with an ankle injury.

T.J. Yeldon also has a touchdown run for the Jaguars and linebacker Telvin Smith scooped up Ben Roethlisberger’s fumble and returned it for a score.

Roethlisberger has touchdown passes to Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant but has also committed two turnovers.

The Jaguars are looking for their third trip to the AFC title game in franchise history.

– Will Graves reporting from Pittsburgh.

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2:15 p.m.

Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette has gone to the locker room with an ankle injury.

Fournette appeared to tweak his ankle on a spin move after catching a 10-yard pass from Blake Bortles in the second quarter. Fournette, who earlier scored on a 1-yard dive, was checked on the sideline before he limped to the locker room for treatment and evaluation.

The Jaguars said Fournette’s return is questionable.

Jacksonville led 21-7 when Fournette got hurt.

– Tom Withers reporting from Pittsburgh.

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2 p.m.

The Steelers are down on the scoreboard and a starting right tackle.

Marcus Gilbert is being evaluated for a concussion after he was injured when Pittsburgh was stuffed on a fourth down running play late in the first quarter by Jacksonville’s swarming defense. Gilbert walked to the sideline without assistance, but the team said his return is questionable.

He was replaced on Pittsburgh’s next possession by Chris Hubbard.

The Jaguars took a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter on T.J. Yeldon’s 4-yard run.

Also, Steelers linebacker Vince Williams is being evaluated for a concussion.

– Tom Withers reporting from Pittsburgh.

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2 p.m.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are taking it to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jacksonville running back T.J. Yeldon bulled in from 4 yards to give the Jaguars a stunning 21-0 lead over Pittsburgh early in the second quarter. The Jaguars stuffed Pittsburgh on fourth-and-inches at the Jacksonville 21 then rolled 79 yards behind rookie running back Leonard Fournette.

Fournette already has 80 yards rushing against Pittsburgh.

The Steelers have never come back from a 21-point deficit to win in the playoffs. Their biggest comeback came from down 17 against Cleveland in the 2002 wild-card round.

– Will Graves reporting from Pittsburgh

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1:35 p.m.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are rolling in Pittsburgh.

Leonard Fournette sprinted 18 yards to the end zone for his second touchdown of the first quarter as the Jaguars took a quick 14-0 lead over the Steelers. Fournette’s second score came one play after Jacksonville linebacker Myles Jack made an acrobatic interception on a third down pass by Ben Roethlisberger.

The pick was Jacksonville’s sixth against Roethlisberger in just five quarters this season. Jacksonville is looking for its first road playoff win since Jan. 5, 2008, when the Jaguars beat the Steelers in the wild-card round.

– Will Graves reporting from Pittsburgh.

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1:15 p.m.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are up to their old tricks in Pittsburgh.

Leonard Fournette’s fourth down leap into the end zone from 1 yard gave the Jaguars a 7-0 lead over the Steelers in the first quarter.

Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles completed 3 of 4 passes for 53 yards on the drive. Bortles had all of 87 yards passing in last week’s wild-card round victory over Buffalo.

Fournette scored on a similar play in a 30-9 victory over the Steelers at Heinz Field in October.

– Will Graves reporting from Pittsburgh

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12:05 p.m.

The NFL divisional playoffs wrap up with a doubleheader Sunday starting in Pittsburgh where the AFC North champion Steelers (13-3) host the upstart Jacksonville Jaguars.

The winner earns a trip to New England to face the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots in next week’s AFC title game.

The third-seeded Jaguars (11-6) drilled the Steelers 30-9 back in October. Jacksonville picked off Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger five times in the victory.

Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown is active after missing the final two games of the regular season with a left calf injury.

In the NFC, second-seeded Minnesota (13-3) welcomes fourth-seeded New Orleans (12-5) for the second time this season. The Vikings dominated the Saints 29-19 in the season opener. The winner will play in Philadelphia against the top-seeded Eagles in next week’s NFC championship game.

The weather could be a factor in Pittsburgh. The temperature is expected to hover in the teens throughout the day. The Jaguars are 1-8 all time in games played when the temperature at kickoff is 25 degrees or colder.

It’s even chillier in Minneapolis, but the Vikings will have the roof closed when they host the Saints.

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

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