Mike Mitchell on Patriots: 'We Can Play Them in Hell, We Can Play Them in Haiti'

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell expressed confidence Tuesday that the Steelers are destined to face and beat the New England Patriots in the playoffs.

In an interview with The MMQB's Greg Bishop, Mitchell said, "We're going to play [the Patriots] again. We can play them in hell, we can play them in Haiti, we can play them in New England. ...  We're gonna win."

Pittsburgh must first get past the Jacksonville Jaguars, as it will host the Jags on Sunday in the AFC Divisional Round.

The Patriots also have a challenge in front of them before a potential rematch with the Steelers, as they will face the Tennessee Titans on Saturday.

New England easily beat the Steelers in last year's AFC Championship Game, 36-17, before going on to win the Super Bowl.

The teams met again in Week 15 this season, and the Patriots held on for a controversial 27-24 victory in Pittsburgh.

Steelers tight end Jesse James initially appeared to catch the go-ahead touchdown in the waning seconds, but it was overturned, leading to game-ending interception toss from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

The win helped the Patriots clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFL playoffs, but Mitchell's comments suggest the Steelers aren't concerned with where the games will be played.

Mitchell has an even bigger dream beyond beating the Patriots, as he told Bishop he wanted injured teammate Ryan Shazier on the sidelines at the Super Bowl: "It's destiny. I'm praying every day that he won't be in a [wheelchair], that he'll be on the sideline and run up and celebrate it with us. There's gonna be hella people crying when it happens."

Shazier suffered a spinal injury Dec. 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals, and he recently regained feeling in his legs, per WPXI.

The Steelers are in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year but haven't reached the Super Bowl since the 2010 season when they lost to the Green Bay Packers.

All signs on the road to the Super Bowl point toward New England if Pittsburgh is going to end that drought and realize Mitchell's dream.