Monday 26 December 2016 14:22, UK
Antonio Brown's touchdown gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a 31-27 victory over the Baltimore Ravens to secure their play-off berth. The Ravens scored late on but Ben Roethlisberger led his team 75 yards in just over a minute to hand Pittsburgh victory.
In 140 Characters...
Pittsburgh win the AFC North title with victory over rivals. Great defence from both, but Brown, Bell and Ben stepped up when it mattered.
MVP
Antonio Brown was the difference for the Steelers. He only saw one reception in the first half, but managed a 96-yard game, including the winner with ten seconds left to play.
Game-changer
Defensive pass interference by Tavon Young at the start of the fourth quarter was a turning point in this one. The rookie corner handed Pittsburgh 35 yards, and the Steelers went on to score three touchdowns from as many drives, to win the game.
Stat of the night
600 - The Pittsburgh Steelers won their 600th regular season game, and this one was made all the sweeter, guaranteeing the organisation play-off football this January.
The game
Pittsburgh scored on their opening drive, utilising running back Le'Veon Bell who had 39 yards from six carries, before Ben Roethlisberger threw a 20-yard pass deep down the middle to Xavier Grimble.
Steve Smith Sr. looked for an immediate response, breaking a tackle for a 44-yard gain, but the Baltimore attack stalled, and the Ravens were forced to settle for a 41-yard field goal.
Defences were on top for the majority of the half, and Joe Flacco felt the full force, sacked twice by the Pittsburgh pass rush.
The Ravens made it a one-point game with the last action of the first half, as Justin Tucker - the most accurate kicker in NFL history - slotted a 38-yard attempt.
Baltimore went ahead early in the third-quarter, after Zach Orr intercepted Roethlisberger's pass at the Steelers' 20-yard line. Flacco took over and found Smith in the end zone, before Smith successfully completed the two point play to give the visitors a 14-7 lead.
The two teams exchanged field goals but it was Roethlisberger's second interception of the night, picked off by linebacker C.J. Moseley, that gave Baltimore possession 11 yards from the goal line. Tucker added his fourth field goal, to stretch his team's advantage to ten points.
On the next drive, a costly defensive pass interference penalty against rookie cornerback Young moved Pittsburgh from midfield to the Ravens' 15-yard line. Running back Bell took full advantage, accelerating out to the right hand side before bounding into the end zone.
With that, there was a momentum shift in Pittsburgh, and the Steelers retook the lead on their next drive, going 90 yards in six drives, including two Brown catches for a total of 47 yards, before Bell drove in for his second touchdown score.
Again, Baltimore fought back as Kyle Juszczyk kept his feet to dive into the end zone for a ten yard score, but it was Pittsburgh's day, as Roethlisberger led the team 75 yards in 10 plays, before Brown stretched his arm out over the goal line for a 4-yard touchdown pass, to book the Steelers' place in the play-offs.
The Ravens are eliminated, while Pittsburgh's win also secures a play-off spot for the Kansas City Chiefs.
