It’s amazing that even at sports’ highest levels, a single play can change the fortunes of a downtrodden team for the better.

In the Steelers’ 31-24 AFC divisional playoff victory over Baltimore Saturday, two Pittsburgh turnovers led to two touchdowns and a 21-7 halftime Ravens lead.

As the Steelers were driving with a few minutes remaining in the first half, I told my wife that if the team could score, gather a little momentum into the locker room, then take the second-half kickoff for another touchdown or a field goal, it’s 21-17 or 21-all and the Steelers have a better chance to pull it out.

Instead, the first-half drive fizzled, Shaun Suisham’s 43-yard field goal attempt failed and the Steelers trailed by two touchdowns at the break.

OK, I thought, get settled down at halftime, come out on fire and get a touchdown to make it a one-possession game.

Instead, the offense flopped and the Steelers were forced to punt.

It wasn’t looking good at all. I had a sense the window of opportunity was closing fast.

But on the ensuing Ravens possession, the Steelers appeared to hold Baltimore to a third-and-long situation when Steelers safety Ryan Clark wrapped up Ray Rice on a short pass. But Clark stripped Rice of the ball and Lawrence Timmons recovered.

At that point, the home crowd sensed a big break and the Steelers followed in kind. Two plays later, they scored to make it 21-14.

Two more Ravens turnovers led to 10 points and the Steelers had a 24-21 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The defense held Baltimore to 126 total yards and three second-half points — a big reason why Pittsburgh is heading to the AFC championship game for the third time in five years and the fifth time in 11 years.

There’s very little margin for error in the NFL playoffs. With two strong opponents, mistakes can be critical. A team’s response defines it.

In an NFC divisional playoff contest at No. 1 seed Atlanta, Green Bay took a 21-14 lead with 20 seconds left in the first half.

An ill-timed interception by Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on the first play of the ensuing drive resulted in an interception and another touchdown for the Packers, who took a two-touchdown lead into the half.

The momentum the Packers achieved in that 10-second window was too much to overcome, wasn’t it?

It was for Atlanta, but not for Pittsburgh.

Adversity is a tough opponent to defeat. How teams deal with it says a lot about their perseverance. The Steelers fought back while the Falcons could not.

One big play might not kill you — unless you allow it.

Sam Tallarico is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.