The Steelers reached out and snared a division title and playoff spot Sunday.

Quite literally.

The difference between one of the most thrilling wins in franchise history and one of the most gut-wrenching losses in recent memory was Antonio Brown reaching the ball across the goal line just before being taken to the turf by a slew of Baltimore defenders.

Brown himself never got into the end zone.

Had he not reached the ball across, the clock would not have stopped. He scored with nine seconds left. There's no way the Steelers could have regrouped and gotten to the line of scrimmage to spike the ball.

The game would have been over. And Ben Roethlisberger's fourth-quarter surge would have been wiped from fans' memories much quicker than that loss would have been.

Ben threw two interceptions earlier in the game that virtually gift-wrapped 10 points for the Ravens.

Add to that the fact Roethlisberger connected with Brown on a pass in the field of play rather than throw a pass into the end zone. The quarterback knew his team had no timeouts left and the Steelers were already in prime position for a chip-shot field goal that would have forced overtime.

Imagine the uproar in Steeler nation if Brown wasn't able to reach forward with that football. But he did.

And all is forgiven.

Ben's two picks in the most critical game of the season will fade into oblivion.

So, too, will the Steeler defense allowing Baltimore to march the length of the field for the go-ahead score with 1:18 left on the clock. The go-ahead and potential game-winning touchdown was on a 10-yard run that featured a few missed tackles.

Actually, missed tackles would have been the story of the day.

Would have been.

Brown's reach will force that 10-yard touchdown run to fade into oblivion, too.

Had the Steelers lost Sunday, their postseason plans would have likely been ruined. Kansas City's win over Denver Sunday night meant Pittsburgh would have needed a Baltimore loss to Cincinnati this week — good luck with that one — to join their own win over Cleveland.

That would have been their only playoff hope.

Cleveland football lore has The Drive and The Fumble. San Francisco football lore has The Catch.

Now Steeler football lore has The Reach.

No, this wasn't a playoff game, but it might as well have been. The loser is going home.

That's the Baltimore Ravens — who do have themselves to blame. They coughed up a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and allowed three Steeler touchdowns in the final 15 minutes.

They didn't reach for that win hard enough.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle